






Class PZ P 

Book.. » Lj. P ; 5 ; ? 

Copyright N? tZ_ 

I 

COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



























"HE STARTED ACROSS COUNTRY AT FULL SPEED” 





PINOCCHIO 

THE* ADVENTURES *OF 
A- LITTLE-WOODEN* BOY 


T*Y* CROWELL ^‘CO- 

PUBLISHERS 


TZs 

• L s ?7 

“P 


Copyright, 1909 

By THOMAS Y. CROWELL & COMPANY 


• « 


©AUG VJf I90y 

Cf A 247132 

AUi 25 1909 


Contents 


CHAP. 

Introduction .... 


PAGE 

vii 

I. 

A Stick of Wood That Talked 


I 

tl. 

Master Cherry Gives the Stick 

to 



Gepetto .... 


4 

III. 

How Pinocchio Was Made . 


7 

IV. 

The Talking Cricket . 


I 2 

V. 

Pinocchio Suffers From Hunger . 


15 

VI. 

Pinocchio Burns His Feet Off 


18 

VII. 

Gepetto Gives Pinocchio His Own 



Breakfast .... 


20 

VIII. 

Gepetto Makes Another Pair of Feet For 



Pinocchio .... 


23 

IX. 

Pinocchio Sells His Spelling-Book 


26 

X. 

The Marionettes Welcome Pinocchio 


30 

XI. 

Fire-Eater Sneezes and Forgives . 


33 

XII. 

The Fox and the Cat 


37 

XIII. 

The Red Lobster Inn . 


43 

XIV. 

Pinocchio Falls Among Thieves . 


47 

XV. 

The Thieves Hang Pinocchio 


52 

XVI. 

The Fairy With the Blue Hair 


55 

XVII. 

Pinocchio Gets Well — And Tells a 

Lie 

59 

XVIII. 

The Fox and Cat Again 


64 

XIX. 

Pinocchio is Thrown Into Prison . 


70 

XX. 

A Terrible Serpent 


74 


iii 


f 

l 


IV 


Contents 


CHAP. 

XXI. 

Pinocchio Plays Watch-Dog 

PACK 

77 

XXII. 

And Catches the Thieves 

80 

XXIII. 

Alone in the World 

83 

XXIV. 

The Isle of Busy Bees 

90 

XXV. 

The Fairy With the Blue Hair Again . 

97 

XXVI. 

Pinocchio Goes to School 

100 

XXVII. 

A Free-for-all Fight 

104 

XXVIII. 

In Dire Peril .... 

1 1 1 

XXIX. 

Pinocchio Returns to the Fairy . 

n 7 

XXX. 

Why There Was No Party 

127 

XXXI. 

In Playtime Land .... 

132 

XXXII. 

The Donkey Fever .... 

140 

XXXIII. 

A Donkey’s Fate .... 

146 

XXXIV. 

The Terrible Dog-Fish . 

155 

XXXV. 

Gepetto in Strange Quarters 

1 63 

XXXVI. 

Some Old Acquaintances 

168 

XXXVII. 

A Real Boy at Last 

1 76 


Illustrations 

He Started Across Country at Full Speed . Frontispiece 

PAGE 

“ Pray, Give My Regards to Your Family ” . 16 

It Was Indeed a Touching Sight ... 30 

“ What Are You Laughing At ? ” Asked Pinocchio 70 

Finocchio Plays Watch-Dog .... 80 

“ Good Boys ! You Bray First-rate ” . .146 

Gepetto in Strange Quarters . . . .164 

He Had Never Felt so Tired in All His Life . 1 74 


v 


















































1 
















\ 






i 












* 




































Introduction 


T HE charmingly absurd story of “ Pinoc- 
chio” was originally written for the 
boys and girls of Italy. Its author 
was a famous journalist and soldier, Carlo Loren- 
zini, who wrote under the pen name of Carlo 
Collodi. A word about this author — before 
reading his book — should be of interest. 

Lorenzini was born in Florence, Italy, on the 
24th day of November, 1826, but many of his 
early years were spent at his mother's former 
home, Collodi, a neighboring town ; and it was 
due to his affection for this place that he after- 
ward adopted its name. When fourteen years 
old he began studying for the priesthood, at 
Val d’ Elsa, where he remained three years ; then 
giving up the idea of a priestly life, he returned 
to Florence and continued his studies along gen- 
eral lines. 

When twenty-two he was seized with the de- 
sire to become a soldier, and enlisted as a volun- 
teer in the Tuscan campaign of 1848. But his 
vii 


Introduction 


viii 

side met with crushing defeat and he was glad 
to return to private life. 

He now turned editor, and began publishing a 
political paper called The Lantern , which sati- 
rized everything and everybody, and thus caused 
Lorenzini to be both esteemed and feared. In 
fact, the government began to distrust his influ- 
ence to such an extent that it soon ordered him to 
discontinue the periodical. Lorenzini published 
other papers after this, but never after dared to 
be “ as funny as he could ” when writing about 
public affairs. Instead, he turned his attention 
to art, drama, and things in general, speedily es- 
tablishing a reputation for brilliance and wit sec- 
ond to none in Florence. He also wrote a long 
novel entitled “ The Mysteries of Florence.” 

In 1859 another of the frequent Peninsular 
wars broke out, this^time with Austria, and Lor- 
enzini again enlisted with a regiment of cavalry. 
He served with distinction for several months 
until peace was declared. Then returning to 
private life, he revived his early paper, The Lan- 
tern , being assisted by a famous artist, Materelli 
Adolfo. They profited, however, by his former 
mistakes, kept on the “ good side ” of the gov- 
ernment, and soon established a journal which 
was widely read and quoted for its cleverness. 


Introduction 


IX 


Presently the editor earned still wider fame by 
replying on behalf of the government to a polit- 
ical attack by a certain Alberi. It was at this 
time that he began using the name of Collodi, 
in honor of his mother’s birthplace. 

As a reward for his support, he was appointed 
Secretary of the Prefecture and theatrical censor, 
an office which he held for several years, without, 
however, ceasing his beloved journalistic work. 
He wrote short essays, criticisms, and stories, as 
well as longer books and plays ; nearly all being 
enlivened by the unflagging vein of humor which 
we see at its best in “ Pinocchio.” 

The story of this now illustrious puppet was 
not written until 1883, when Lorenzini was al- 
most an old man, but the youthful spirit shown 
in it proved its claim at once as an undoubted 
classic of childhood. During the quarter of a 
century since its publication, its sale in Italy has 
approached the million mark, with the demand 
remaining constant. There it is regarded as the 
greatest of Italian juvenile stories, outrivaling 
even “ Heart” by De Amicis. 

Lorenzini — or Collodi, as he was now univer- 
sally known — continued his busy life as journal- 
ist, critic and educator up to the day of his 
death, which occurred October 26, 1890. Some 


x Introduction 

of his later works were text-books for use in 
schools. 

In writing “ Pinocchio,” Collodi must have 
drawn not only upon his own inexhaustible fund 
of humor, but also upon the folk and fairy lore 
of many lands ; for this fantastic story contains 
echoes of many delightful tales common to all 
lands and times, yet without sacrificing its own 
originality. Incidents such as those of man be- 
friending beasts and being aided in return occur 
in every tongue. Here we find a hint of the 
well-known “ Tar-Baby ” story of the South ; or, 
tracing it still farther back, of the “ Fox and 
Rabbit ” in African folk tales ; of “ Buddha and 
the Bear,” in Oriental tales ; and finally of several 
fables told by the Greek slave Aisop. 

This but proves Collodi’s kinship with the 
universal childish heart. His funny wooden 
puppet is akin both to Jack of the Bean Stalk 
and Alice of Wonderland fame. In the land of 
the Topsy-Turvy he is on the best of terms with 
them, and also is well acquainted with Sindbad 
and Gulliver. Yet he is like none of them — and 
herein lies his chief charm and claim to distinc- 
tion. He is a type in himself. With his silly 
smile and hard head — oh, but it is wooden ! — he 
leads the reader, young or old, into the drollest 


Introduction 


xi 


of adventures where every escapade awakens 
new interest. Every child at once sees the hu- 
mor of it, and few will fail to catch the broad 
general meaning underlying the career of an ir- 
responsible marionette who, through many trials 
and by reason of many stern lessons, evolves at 
last into a real live boy. Pinocchio, in fact, 
while learning the truths of life in the bitter 
school of experience, teaches us all that we may 
“ rise on stepping-stones of our dead selves to 
higher things.” 

Properly understood, the story is an allegory 
which plots out the curve of moral growth in the 
normal boy or girl — and, for that matter, a curve 
which is common to humanity young and old 
alike. In it one witnesses the same insistent 
grasping after the things one wants, regardless of 
consequences ; the same lesson learned ; the 
same slipping back to self, and the renewed 
struggle toward a higher plane. It is all as old 
as the Garden of Eden ; nevertheless it must be 
learned by each successive generation, typified 
by this foolish wooden boy ! 

Pinocchio’s career seems to fall naturally into 
a series of seven episodes, on a gradually rising 
moral plane, each with its temptation, its painful 
experience, and its lesson. In the opening epi- 


Introduction 


xii 

sode he suffers from absolute ignorance. Newly 
carved from a log of wood his first impulse, like 
that of any baby, is to seize things and get into 
mischief. Then he suffers from hunger and 
burns his feet in the fire — thus learning the les- 
son of obedience. He now begins to note that 
others must be considered as well as himself. 
He finds a great, alluring world on the outside, 
but he also finds protection in a father’s love. 
He forms good resolutions but is easily led 
astray. Attracted by the puppet show he falls 
into the hands of Fire-Eater, and is saved only 
by generosity , first of his captor, then of himself. 
In the fourth episode, his temptation becomes 
more subtle, being on the mental plane. He 
falls in with thieves who lead him astray by false 
promises, and is saved from death by his Good 
Fairy, whom we may call Conscience. But again 
his greed gets the upper hand, and again he 
falls into the thieves’ clutches. He meets with 
several painful experiences, and through them 
learns the lesson of honesty. Here we notice, 
also, that his punishment has become more pro- 
found as his intelligence and moral sense have 
deepened. In the sixth episode he again finds 
his Good Fairy, who gives him another oppor- 
tunity. But it is thrown away through laziness 


Introduction 


xiii 

and listening to the advice of bad companions. 
The punishment here is the most severe of all ; 
but Pinocchio escapes “a donkey’s fate" by 
learning the meaning of industry. Finally he 
undergoes the most exacting test of all. He 
learns to be faithful to his trust ; to live a life of 
unselfish toil until at last he wins the prize for 
which he has been striving — the body and soul 
of a real boy. And the last lesson is fidelity. 

But enough of this psychological side of Pin- 
occhio! If he is to be relegated to the class- 
room — a fate which never appealed to him per- 
sonally ! — all these dry considerations will fall to 
the teacher’s lot. For ourselves, we are only 
making friends with one of the quaintest fellows 
in story-land. While we have been introducing 
him, he has been waiting this half-hour to start. 
So come ! Let us follow the marionette’s reck- 
less footsteps and take part in his marvelous ad- 
ventures for ourselves ! 



Pinocchio 


CHAPTER I 


A STICK OF WOOD THAT TALKED 


O NCE upon a time there was — 

“ A king ! ” my little readers will say 
at once. 

No, my dears, you are wrong. Once upon a 
time there was a stick of wood. It was not a 
fine stick, either, but just such another as you 
would put in the fireplace to heat the room. 

I do not know how it came about, but one 
fine day this stick of wood was found in the car- 
penter shop of an old man named Antonio. 
Everybody called him Master Cherry, however, 
because of the color of his nose which was red 
and shiny like a ripe cherry. 

As soon as Master Cherry saw the stick of 
wood he was delighted. He rubbed his hands 
together and mumbled to himself : “ The very 
thing ! This stick will make a fine table leg." 


2 


Pinocchio 


Saying this, he picked up a sharp axe to begin 
to smooth off the bark ; but just as he was about 
to strike he stopped with arm in air, for he 
thought he heard a thin sharp voice cry out : 
“ Do not strike me too hard ! ” 

Imagine good old Master Cherry’s surprise ! 
He rolled his eyes around in every corner of the 
room to see whence came the voice, but could 
discover no one. He looked under the work- 
bench ; nobody. He looked into the tightly shut 
cupboard ; nobody. He looked into the chip 
basket and shavings ; nobody. He opened the 
door and looked up and down the street; but 
still nobody. What then ? 

“ Ah, I see ! ” he laughed to himself and 
scratched his wig. “ I only dreamed that I 
heard a voice. Let’s begin again.” 

He took up the axe again and hit the stick of 
wood a lively blow. 

“ Ouch ! You have hurt me ! ” cried the little 
voice in pain. 

This time Master Cherry stood as if turned to 
stone, his eyes fairly sticking out of his head, his 
tongue hanging out of his mouth for all the 
world like a gorgon head on a fountain. As 
soon as he found his voice he said, trembling and 
stammering : 


A Stick of Wood that Talked 3 

“ Who was it that cried out ? There is not a 
living soul here. Is it possible that this stick 
can cry like a baby ? I can't believe it. It’s just 
like any other piece of wood that you put on 
the fire to boil a pot of beans. What then ? 
Can somebody be hidden inside ? If so, so much 
the worse for him. I’ll fix him ! ” 

So saying he laid hold of the poor stick of 
wood and began to pound it against the wall. 
Then he paused to listen if any one should cry 
out. He listened for two minutes — nothing ; for 
five minutes — nothing ; for ten minutes, and still 
nothing. 

“ Ah, I see ! ” he tried to laugh again and 
scratch his wig ; “ this little voice that called 
* Ouch ! ’ was only my imagination. Let’s begin 
again.” 

And because he had really begun to be fright- 
ened, he tried to hum a tune to keep up his cour- 
age. At the same time he laid his axe aside and 
took up a plane, in order to smooth and polish 
the wood ; but he had no sooner begun to push 
it back and forth, when he heard the same sharp 
little voice say with a laugh : “ Stop, you are 
tickling me ! ” 

This time, poor Master Cherry fell down as if 
thunderstricken. When he opened his eyes he 


4 


Pinocchio 


found himself seated upon the ground. His face 
was blank with amazement, and the end of his 
nose had changed from red to blue because of his 
great alarm. 


CHAPTER II 

MASTER CHERRY GIVES THE STICK TO 
GEPETTO 


A T this moment a knock was heard on the 
door. 

“ Come in,” said the carpenter, who 
did not have strength enough to get up. 

A little old man whose name was Gepetto en- 
tered. He was often called Polendina by the 
bad boys who wished to tease him, on account of 
his yellow wig which looked like a bag of yellow 
meal. You must know, that is what “ polendina ” 
means in Italy, and it always made him angry to 
be called this. 

“ Good-morning, Antonio,” said Gepetto 
“ what are you doing on the ground ? ” 

“ I am teaching the ants to read.” 

“ May it do you good ! ” 

“ What has brought you here, friend Gepetto ? ” 
asked the other in his turn. 


The Stick is Given to Gepetto 5 

“ My legs. But I would like to ask a favor of 
you.” 

“ At your service,” replied the carpenter, be- 
ginning to rise. 

“ This morning an idea popped into my head.” 

“ Let’s have it.” 

“ I thought to myself that I would carve out a 
clever marionette of wood ; and with this 
marionette, which I can teach to dance and do 
tricks, I can wander about over the world and 
earn my living. What do you think ? ” 

“ Bravo, Polendina ! ” cried a sharp little voice. 

On hearing this nickname, Gepetto grew as red 
as a pepper, and turned upon the carpenter saying 
harshly, “ What do you mean by insulting me ? ” 

“ I never insulted you ! ” 

“ You called me Polendina.” 

“ Indeed I did not.” 

“ Don’t you think I can believe my ears ? I 
heard you.” 

“ No ! ” 

“ Yes ! ” 

“ No ! ” 

“ Yes ! ” 

From words they soon came to blows, and 
scuffled about until each had seized the other by 
the wig. 


6 


Pinocchio 


“ Give me back my wig ! ” cried Antonio. 

“ Then give me mine, and let us make peace,” 
said Gepetto. 

So the two foolish old fellows exchanged wigs, 
shook hands again, and promised to be good 
friends for the rest of their lives. 

“ And now, friend Gepetto,” said the car- 
penter, " what is the favor you desire of 
me?” 

“ I need a piece of wood, from which to carve 
my marionette. Can you give me one ? ” 

Master Antonio was glad enough to go after 
the stick of wood which had already given him 
so much alarm. But when he tried to hand it 
over to his friend, the wood gave a kick and 
sliding out of his hands landed violently upon 
the shins of poor Gepetto. 

“ Ah, you are not very polite when you give 
presents, Master Antonio,” he groaned. “ You 
have nearly lamed me.” 

“ Upon my word, I didn't do it ! ” 

“ Then I suppose I must have ! ” 

“ The fault is all in that wood.” 

“ Oh, I know the wood hit me — but you threw 
it at my legs.” 

“ No, I did not throw it.” 

“ Scoundrel ! ” 


How Pinocchio Was Made 7 

“ Gepetto, don’t insult me, or I shall call you 
Polendina.” 

“ Donkey ! ” 

" Polendina ! ” 

“ Monkey ! ” 
u Polendina ! ” 

“ Ugly ape ! ” 

" Polendina ! ” 

Gepetto now thoroughly angry threw himself 
upon the carpenter and they fought it out to a 
finish. Antonio got his nose scratched, and 
Gepetto lost two buttons off his coat. Having 
thus squared accounts they shook hands solemnly 
and promised again to be good friends for the 
rest of their lives. Then Gepetto picked up the 
stick of wood, thanked Antonio, and limped back 
home. 


CHAPTER III 

HOW PINOCCHIO WAS MADE 

G EPETTO’S home was one small room 
on a ground floor under a staircase. 
Its furniture could not have been sim- 
pler : there was a tumble-down chair, a poor bed, 
and a ricketty table. There seemed to be a fire- 


8 


Pinocchio 


place at the back, but it was only a picture, and 
so was the fire and the pot above it, which ap- 
peared to give out clouds of steam. 

As soon as he reached home, Gepetto took up 
his tools and fell to work carving out his marionette. 

“ What name shall I give him ? ” he asked him- 
self. “ I think it shall be Pinocchio ; that’s a name 
which will bring him good luck. I once knew a 
whole family called Pinocchio, and all did well. 
The richest of the lot knew how to beg.” 

Now that he had found a name for his mario- 
nette, Gepetto fell hard to work and soon had 
carved the hair, then the top of the head, and 
then the eyes. No sooner had he made the eyes 
than — much to his surprise — the marionette 
moved them and began to stare at him ! 

Gepetto did not like this and said sharply : 
“ Why do you stare at me, wooden eyes ? ” 

No reply. 

Next he made the nose, but no sooner was it 
made than it began to grow. It grew and grew 
and grew as though it never would stop. Poor 
Gepetto tried to cut it short, but the more he 
chipped the longer that impudent nose became. 
So he let it alone and began on the mouth. But 
the mouth was not half done before it began to 
laugh and mock at him. 


How Pinocchio Was Made 9 

“ Stop your laughing ! ” scolded Gepetto ; but 
it was like talking to the wall. 

“ Stop your laughing, I tell you ! ” he called 
loudly. 

The mouth ceased its grinning, but began to 
make faces at him. Gepetto pretended not to 
see this, and went on with his work. After the 
mouth he made the chin, then the neck, the 
shoulders, the body, the arms and the hands. 

No sooner had he made the hands than they 
grabbed the wig off of Gepetto’s head. He 
turned quickly. 

" Pinocchio ! ” he called, “ put back my wig 
at once.” 

But instead of doing so, Pinocchio put it upon 
his own head, making himself look half smoth- 
ered. 

At this piece of insolence, Gepetto grew sad 
and thoughtful — something he had never been 
before in his life. 

“ You naughty little scamp ! ” he said ; “ you 
are not all made yet, and already you begin to 
lack respect for your father. Bad, bad boy ! ” 

And he wiped away a tear. 

There were still legs and feet to be carved. 
The moment Gepetto finished making them, he 
felt a kick on the end of his nose. 


10 


Pinocchio 


“ It's all my fault," he said to himself. “ I 
ought to have thought of this at first. Now it is 
too late." 

He took the marionette by the arms and stood 
him up on the floor, in order to teach him to 
walk. But Pinocchio’s joints were stiff so that 
he could hardly move them, and Gepetto had to 
lead him about by the hand. Pretty soon his 
legs grew more limber, and Pinocchio began to 
run by himself around the room. Finally, as the 
door was open, he jumped through it and started 
at full speed down the street. 

Poor Gepetto went after him as hard as he 
could but could not catch him, because the little 
rascal ran by leaps and bounds like a rabbit, 
striking his wooden feet on the pavement with a 
lively clatter. 

“ Stop him ! stop him ! " yelled Gepetto ; but 
the passers-by, seeing a wooden marionette charg- 
ing down the street like a Barbary horse, only 
stared and then laughed and laughed in a way 
you could hardly imagine. 

At last by good luck a policeman came along 
who, hearing all the racket, thought that some 
colt was running away from his owner ; and 
planting himself bravely in the middle of the 
street he decided to stop the runaway at all haz- 


How Pinocchio Was Made 1 1 

ards. When Pinocchio saw him in the way he 
tried to get past by dodging between the officer’s 
legs, but failed. The policeman without budging 
caught him by the nose — which was long enough 
for a handle — and turned him over to the pant- 
ing Gepetto. The latter wanted to punish him by 
boxing his ears ; but fancy his disappointment, 
when after searching vainly he could find no ears 
to box ! He had forgotten to make any ! 

So he contented himself with seizing the mar- 
ionette by the nape of the neck, and led him back 
saying with an ominous shake of the head, “ Just 
wait till I get you home ! I’ll give you a good 
one — never doubt it ! ” 

When Pinocchio heard this he threw himself 
flat upon the ground and would not stir another 
step. At once a group of idlers and curious peo- 
ple gathered around them — one saying one thing, 
another saying another. 

“ Poor marionette ! ” quoth one, “ he is right 
in not wanting to go home. Who knows how 
hard that Gepetto might beat him ! ” 

Another added : " This Gepetto seems to be a 
good sort, but he is harsh with boys. If he gets 
this poor marionette into his hands, he might 
smash it to pieces." 

Indeed, they all said so much that the police- 


12 


Pinocchio 


man finally gave Pinocchio his liberty, and 
marched the unlucky Gepetto to jail. All the 
way there he wept and cried so that he wasn’t 
able to plead his innocence. He could only wail : 
“ Wicked son ! To think that I took so much 
pains to make a good marionette ! But it serves 
me right ! I ought to have thought of this at 
first!” 

What happened afterward is a very strange 
story. I know you could never guess, so I shall 
have to tell you in the chapters that come next. 


CHAPTER IV 

THE TALKING CRICKET 

A ND now, children, let me tell you how, 
while poor Gepetto was being taken to 
jail through no fault of his own, that 
rogue of a Pinocchio, freed by the policeman, ran 
across country in order to get home quickly. In 
his great haste he leaped over high walls and 
jumped ditches full of water exactly like a rabbit 
that is chased by the hunters. 

When he reached home he found the street 
door open. He entered, fastened the door be- 


The Talking Cricket 13 

hind him, and then sat down on the ground with 
a sigh of relief. But his contentment did not 
last long, for presently he heard a voice in the 
room saying : “ Creek, creek, creek ! ” 

“ Who’s that ? ” demanded Pinocchio. 

“ It is I.” 

Pinocchio turned around and saw a large 
cricket crawling upon the wall. 

“ Tell me, Cricket, who are you ? " 

“ I am the Talking Cricket, and I have lived 
in this room over a hundred years.” 

“ But the room belongs to me now,” said the 
marionette, “ and if you want to do me a favor 
you will go at once, without looking back.” 

“ I will not go away until I’ve told you a great 
truth,” answered the Cricket. 

“ Tell it then and be quick about it.” 

“ It will go hard with boys who do not mind 
their parents and who run away from home. 
They will never have any good luck, and sooner 
or later they will be sorry.” 

“ Sing on, Cricket, if you want to. But I’m 
going to leave here the first thing in the morn- 
ing, because I know, if I stay, the same thing 
will happen to me that happens to other boys. 
I shall have to go to school, and be made to study. 
And, between us, I don’t care to study. I in- 


H 


Pinocchio 


tend to play and to amuse myself by climbing 
trees and robbing birds’ nests.” 

“ Poor little stupid ! Don’t you know that by 
doing thus you will make a donkey of yourself, 
and that everybody would laugh at you ? ” 

" Be still, croaking Cricket ! ” cried Pinocchio. 
But the Cricket, who was wise and did not 
like such rudeness, continued in the same tone of 
voice : “ If you dislike the idea of going to school, 
why not learn some trade so that you could earn 
an honest bit of bread ? ” 

" Shall I tell you why? ” replied Pinocchio im- 
patiently. “ Then know that there is only one 
trade in the world that would really suit me.” 

“ And what trade is that ? ” 

“ That of eating, drinking, sleeping, playing, 
and leading an easy life all day long.” 

" That way of doing,” said the Talking Cricket 
calmly, “ always leads to a bad end.” 

“ Be careful, croaking Cricket ! If you make 
me angry, look out for yourself! ” 

“ Poor Pinocchio ! I pity you ! ” 

“ Why do you pity me ? ” 

“ Because you are only a marionette, and what 
is worse, you are a blockhead.” 

At this last word Pinocchio sprang up in a rage 
and seizing a heavy wooden mallet from the work- 


Pinocchio Suffers From Hunger 15 

bench he threw it at the Talking Cricket. Per- 
haps he didn’t really intend to hit it, but by ill 
luck it struck the Cricket back of the head, so 
that it had only time to cry, “ Creek, creek, 
creek ! ” Then it was left sticking to the wall. 


CHAPTER V 

PINOCCHIO SUFFERS FROM HUNGER 

I N the meantime night came on, and Pin- 
occhio remembering that he had eaten noth- 
ing began to feel a gnawing in his stomach 
that was a good deal like an appetite. Now, ap- 
petites with boys grow very quickly, and in a few 
minutes it became a real hunger, and the hunger 
grew till it was like that of a wolf. 

Pinocchio ran over to the hearth where the 
bean pot was boiling away, and tried to take off 
the lid to see what was inside. But the pot was 
only painted on the wall. Imagine his surprise ! 
His long nose grew at least four inches longer. 

Then he began to run around the room, search- 
ing through all the drawers and boxes for so 
much as a crust of bread, a bone for a dog, a 
cherry stone — anything to eat ; but couldn’t find 


i6 


Pinocchio 


the least thing. And all the time his hunger 
grew and kept on growing. Poor Pinocchio 
could do nothing but yawn, he was that empty, 
and his mouth stretched so that it reached to 
where his ears ought to be. He had a terribly 
vacant feeling. He began to weep and to wail, 
and said : 

“ The Talking Cricket was right. I was 
naughty to disobey my father and run away. If 
my father were only here now, I should not be 
dying from hunger. Oh, how bad I feel ! ” 

At this moment behold ! he saw over in the 
shavings something that looked round and white, 
like a hen’s egg. At once he jumped for it and 
seized it. It was really an egg. The joy of the 
marionette is beyond description. Almost fear- 
ing it was a dream, he turned the egg over and 
over in his hands, petting and kissing it. 

“ How shall I cook it ? ” he said. “ Shall I 
make an omelet, or shall I fry it in a pan ? Per- 
haps I’d better boil it. No, the quickest way 
will be to cook it in the pan ! I am in such a 
hurry to eat it.” 

At once he set about it. He started a little 
fire and put the pan over it. Instead of butter 
or oil, he used a little water ; and when the 
water began to smoke, crack ! he broke the shell 





j. 

'ftfo. 1 A'jrv ' 


iilSIllfe 


"PRAY, GIVE MY REGARDS TO YOUR FAMILY" 














































. 










































































Pinocchio Suffers From Hunger 17 

and held the egg over the pan. But instead of 
the egg’s white and yolk, out jumped a little 
chicken, gay and lively, who made him a bow 
and said : 

“ A thousand thanks, Mr. Pinocchio, for hav- 
ing saved me the trouble of breaking my shell. 
Pray give my regards to your family." And say- 
ing this it spread its wings and flew through the 
window and out of sight. 

The marionette stood motionless with staring 
eyes, open mouth, and the broken egg-shell still 
in his hands. Then when he began to recover, 
he set up a loud howling and beat upon the 
ground. 

“ Oh, Talking Cricket, you were right ! ” he 
cried. “ If only I hadn’t run away ! If only my 
father were here ! I shall starve to death, I know 
I shall ! ” 

And as his stomach kept on hurting and he 
didn’t know what else to do, he decided to go 
out and run to the village not far away, in the 
hope of finding some kind-hearted person who 
would give him a bit of bread. 


i8 


Pinocchio 


CHAPTER VI 

PINOCCHIO BURNS HIS FEET OFF 

I T happened to be a stormy night. The 
thunder crashed, the lightning was so con- 
stant that the whole sky seemed ablaze, and 
a strong wind swept along a cloud of dust and 
shook every tree in the countryside. 

Pinocchio was dreadfully afraid of the thunder 
and lightning ; but his hunger was stronger than 
his fear. He opened the door, darted out, and in 
a hundred leaps reached the village out of breath 
and with his tongue hanging out of his mouth 
like a hunter’s dog. But he found everything 
silent and deserted. The shops were closed, the 
house-doors closed, the windows closed, and 
there wasn’t even a dog in the streets. It seemed 
like a city of the dead. 

In despair Pinocchio rang the bell of the first 
house he came to, saying to himself : “ Some one 
will surely answer.” 

Pretty soon an old man with a nightcap on 
his head looked out of a window and called gruffly : 
“ What do you want at this hour of the night ? ” 
“ Would you be good enough to give me 
something to eat ?” 


Pinocchio Burns His Feet Off 19 

" Wait a moment and I will be back ! ” re- 
plied the old man who thought that he was deal- 
ing with one of the street urchins who amuse 
themselves by ringing door-bells at night to 
rouse people out of their beds. In about half a 
minute he returned and said to Pinocchio : “ Come 
under the window and hold up your hat.” 

Pinocchio had not yet owned a hat, but he 
drew close to the house, when a torrent of water 
from a large pitcher drenched him from head to 
foot. There was nothing to do but go back 
home, wet as a chicken, and tired and hungry. 
He threw himself down on a chair and rested his 
wet feet on the stove full of live coals. 

There he fell asleep; and while he snored 
away, his feet being of wood soon became charred, 
then began to smoke, and finally burned clear 
off. But Pinocchio only slept and snored as 
though his feet belonged to somebody else. 

Along toward morning he was awakened by a 
knocking at the door. 

0 Who is it ? ” he asked, yawning and rubbing 
his eyes. 

“ It is I,” replied a voice. 

It was the voice of Gepetto. 


20 


Pinocchio 


CHAPTER VII 

GEPETTO GIVES PINOCCHIO HIS OWN 
BREAKFAST 

P OOR Pinocchio was so sleepy that he still 
did not know his feet were burned off. 
When he heard his father’s voice he slid 
down from the chair to run and unbolt the door. 
But instead he tottered for two or three steps and 
then fell flat on the floor. 

“ Let me in ! " called Gepetto from the street. 
“ I can’t, father," replied the marionette, weep- 
ing and rolling on the floor. 

" Why not ? " 

“ My feet have been eaten off." 

" Who has eaten them ? " 

“ The cat," said Pinocchio, seeing pussy in the 
corner playing with some little pieces of wood. 

“ Let me in, I tell you," replied Gepetto ; “ else 
I shall give you a cat-o’-nine-tails instead." 

“ Believe me, I can’t walk a step. Oh, poor 
me, poor me ! I shall have to go round on my 
knees the rest of my life." 

But Gepetto only thought this some trick of 
the marionette's ; so to end the talk he climbed 
up the wall and entered the room through the 


Gepetto Gives His Own Breakfast 21 

window. At first he scolded him severely ; but 
when he saw Pinocchio lying on the floor with- 
out any feet, he was touched with pity. He 
raised him up gently and began to pet him, say- 
ing tenderly : 

“ My dear little Pinocchio ! How did you hap- 
pen to burn your feet off? ” 

“ I don’t know, father, but believe me, it has 
been a terrible night and one I shall never forget. 
It thundered and lightened and I was awfully 
hungry. Then along came a Talking Cricket 
who said, * Serves you right ! ’ and I said, ‘ Take 
care, Cricket!’ and he said, 4 You’re a block- 
head ! ’ and I up with a mallet and smashed him 
on the wall. Then I tried to cook an egg, but 
instead a chicken flew out of it, thanking me 
kindly. And then I grew so hungry that I went 
over to the village and rang a bell, and a little 
old man said, ‘ Come under the window and hold 
up your hat,’ and then he poured water all over 
me. I came back home in a hurry and stuck my 
feet on the stove to dry them, and while I was 
asleep they burned up. And now I haven’t got 
any feet, and I’m so hungry ! Oh, oh, oh, oh ! ” 
And Pinocchio cried so loud you could have 
heard him for a mile. 

His story was much mixed, but Gepetto 


22 


Pinocchio 


caught the main point in it, which was the fact 
that the marionette was hungry. So he took 
three pears out of his pocket, saying, “ Here are 
some pears which were to have been my own 
breakfast, but I will gladly give them to you. 
Eat them and may they do you good.” 

“If you want me to eat them, please peel 
them for me.” 

“ Peel them ? ” replied Gepetto in surprise. “ I 
would never have thought, my boy, that you 
would be so hard to please. One has to get used 
to all sorts of things in this world.” 

“You may be right,” said Pinocchio; “ but I 
don’t intend to eat any fruit that isn’t peeled. I 
don’t like the skins.” 

At this the good Gepetto took out a small 
knife and patiently peeled the three pears, lay- 
ing all the peeling on a corner of the table. 

When Pinocchio had eaten the first pear, he 
was on the point of throwing away the core, but 
Gepetto stopped him. 

“ Don’t throw that away,” he said ; “ every- 
thing is of some use.” 

“ But I don’t propose to eat cores.” 

“ Very well,” replied his father calmly. 

But the cores, instead of being thrown away, were 
placed on the corner of the table with the parings. 


Gepetto Makes Another Pair of Feet 23 

Having eaten, or rather gobbled, the three 
pears, Pinocchio yawned and said with a whine, 
“ Oh, dear, I am still hungry ! ” 

“ I haven’t anything else, my boy.” 

“ Really, truly nothing ? ” 

" Nothing except these peelings and cores.” 

“ All right then,” said Pinocchio ; “ I guess I’d 
better eat some peeling.” 

He began to’eat — at first with a wry face — but 
one after another the skins went down. Then 
he tackled the cores, and when he had finished 
the lot he said, patting his stomach contentedly, 
“ Ah, I feel better ! ” 

“ You see, then,” observed Gepetto, “ that I 
was right when I told you everything was of 
some use in this world.” 


CHAPTER VIII 

GEPETTO MAKES ANOTHER PAIR OF FEET 
FOR PINOCCHIO 

A S soon as the marionette’s hunger was 
satisfied, he began to complain because 
he wanted a new pair of feet. Gepetto 
let him cry for a good while, in order to punish 
him; then he said : 


24 


Pinocchio 


“ Why should I make you new feet ? — soThat 
you may run away from home again ? ” 

“ Oh, no ! I promise to be good after this ! ” 
said Pinocchio sobbing. 

“ That’s what all boys say when they want 
anything.” 

“ I promise to go to school and to study so 
that you will be proud of me.” 

“ That’s what all boys say when they want 
anything.” 

" But I’m not like other boys. I am better 
than any of them. I always tell the truth. And 
I promise you, father, that I will learn a trade 
and be of some help to you.” 

Gepetto felt so sorry for him that he couldn’t 
say another word. He took up some choice bits 
of wood and set to work so earnestly that in less 
than an hour he had carved out two beautiful 
new feet. They were so fine and graceful that 
they looked as though modeled by some great 
sculptor. Then he said to the boy, “ Now close 
your eyes and go to sleep.” 

Pinocchio closed his eyes and pretended to 
sleep, while Gepetto melted a little glue in the 
egg-shell and stuck the feet to the legs ; and he 
joined them so neatly that you couldn’t see 
where it was done. As soon as the marionette 


Gepetto Makes Another Pair of Feet 25 

saw his new feet fastened on, he jumped down 
and capered around as if crazy with delight. 

“ To pay you back for all you have done for me/’ 
he said, “ please let me start to school right away.” 

“ Good boy ! ” 

“ But if I go to school, I must have some 
clothes to wear.” 

Gepetto was so poor that he hadn't a cent in his 
pocket, but he made him a suit out of cardboard, 
a pair of shoes out of some bark, and a cap out 
of bread paste. Pinocchio capered off to admire 
himself in a pan of water, and was so pleased 
that he strutted up and down saying, “ Now I 
look exactly like a gentleman ! ” 

“ Yes, indeed,” replied Gepetto. “ It is not so 
much fine clothes but clean ones that make a 
gentleman.” 

“ By the way,” said the marionette, “ if I go to 
school I shall need a spelling-book.” 

" You are right, but how shall we get it?” 

“ Easy enough ; you can get one at a book- 
store.” 

“ And the money ? ” 

“ I haven’t any.” 

“ Neither have I,” said the good man sadly. 

Pinocchio grew downcast too at this. Even a 
boy can understand what it means to be poor. 


26 


Pinocchio 


“ Have patience,” said Gepetto, suddenly rais- 
ing his head; and taking his patched coat he 
left the house on a run. In a very short time he 
returned with the desired spelling-book, but his 
coat was gone. The poor man was in his shirt 
sleeves, although it was snowing outside. 

“ Where’s your coat, father ? ” asked Pinocchio. 

“ I sold it.” 

“ Why ? ” 

“ Because it made me too warm.” 

Pinocchio saw through this excuse at once, 
and having a good heart down in his little 
wooden body, he threw his arms about Gepetto 
and kissed him again and again. 


CHAPTER IX 

PINOCCHIO SELLS HIS SPELLING-BOOK 

T HE snow-storm having ceased, Pinocchio 
started forth to school with his new 
spelling-book under his arm. On the 
way a thousand fantastic ideas ran through his 
little head, and he built a thousand castles in the 
air, each finer than the last. And this is the way 
he talked to himself: 


4 


Pinocchio Sells His Spelling-Book 27 

“ To-day, at school, I must quickly learn how 
to read. To-morrow, I must learn how to write ; 
and the next day I must learn how to do sums 
of figures. After that, because of my ability, I 
shall earn lots of money ; and with the very first 
coins that come into my pocket I shall at once 
buy a new coat for my father. It shan’t be an 
ordinary coat, but one trimmed with silver and 
gold, and with diamond buttons. That poor man 
certainly deserves it; for in order to get me a 
book to study with, he has sold the very coat off 
his back — and in this weather, too. I tell you, 
there are not many such fathers ! ” 

At this moment he suddenly heard the sound 
of music of a fife and drum company. “ Tweedle, 
tweedle, tweedle ! ” went the fifes, and “ Boom, 
boom, boom ! ” went the drums. He stopped to 
listen. The sound came from the end of a long 
street which led to an open square near the sea- 
shore. 

“Where is that beautiful music?” he said. 

“ It’s too bad I have to go to school, or else ” 

He looked doubtfully down the street. He 
must choose for himself whether to go to school, 
or to follow the music. Finally he said : “ To-day 
I think I shall hear the music, and to-morrow go 
to school. Any time will do to go to school.” 


28 


Pinocchio 


No sooner said than done; and away he went 
down the street at full speed. The farther he ran 
the more clearly he heard the fifes and drums — 
44 Tweedle, tweedle, tweedle!” 44 Boom, boom, 
boom!” Pretty soon he found himself in an 
open square filled with people, who were gath- 
ered in front of a large wooden building covered 
with gayly-colored signs and pictures. 

44 What house is this ?” he asked a little boy 
who stood by. 

44 Read the signs and you’ll know,” was the re- 
ply. 

44 I would gladly read them, but I haven’t 
learned how to read yet.” 

“ Bright boy, you ! Then I will read it for 
you. It says : 4 Grand Theatre of the Mario- 
nettes.’ ” 

“ How soon does the play begin ? ” 

44 Right away ” 

44 How much does it cost to get in ? ” 

“ Five cents.” 

Pinocchio was by this time in a perfect fever 
of curiosity, and forgetting all his good resolu- 
tions he turned shamelessly to the boy and said : 
44 Will you lend me the money until to-morrow ? ” 

44 Willingly, if I had it, but to-day I am short 
of money myself.” 


Pinocchio Sells His Spelling-Book 29 

“ I will sell you my coat for five pennies,” said 
Pinocchio. 

“ Who wants a coat made of colored card- 
board ? If it should rain it would come to pieces.” 

“ What would you give me for my shoes ? ” 

“ They are not fit for anything but the fire.” 

" How much would you give for my cap? ” 

" A fine bargain indeed ! — a cap made of paste ! 
The rats would be likely to eat it right off my 
head.” 

Pinocchio was on nettles. He was on the 
point of making a final offer, but he didn't have 
the courage. At last he said : “ Would you give 
me five cents for this new spelling-book ? ” 

“ I never buy anything like that from other 
boys,” replied the youngster, who had better 
judgment than the marionette. 

“ For five cents I will buy your spelling-book,” 
said a second-hand dealer who had chanced to 
hear the conversation. 

And the book was sold on the spot. And all 
this time poor Gepetto stayed at home shivering 
with cold, because he had sold his coat to buy a 
spelling-book for his son ! 


3 ° 


Pinocchio 


CHAPTER X 

THE MARIONETTES WELCOME PINOCCHIO 

W HEN Pinocchio went into the play- 
house, something happened which 
nearly caused a riot. 

The curtain was up and the play had already 
begun. Two of the actors were then upon the 
stage, quarreling away — as is usual in marionette 
plays — and threatening to beat each other with 
sticks. The audience was laughing loudly at 
their antics, for they capered around and mo- 
tioned as naturally as if they had been real 
people. 

All at once one of them ceased speaking, and 
looking over the audience he pointed toward 
the end of the room shouting in a stage voice : 
“ Can it be possible — or do I dream? And yet, 
that boy yonder is Pinocchio ! ” 

“ It is indeed he ! ” cried another, leaping from 
behind the scenes. 

“ Pinocchio, Pinocchio ! "shouted all the others 
in a chorus, running upon the stage ; “ it is our 
brother Pinocchio — hooray ! ” 

“ Come up here, Pinocchio ! ” called the first 



mm 

■ 


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:ggp 


IT WAS INDEED A TOUCHING SIGHT 




The Marionettes Welcome Pinocchio 31 

speaker. “ Come, throw your arms around your 
wooden brothers." 

At this affectionate greeting, Pinocchio gave a 
leap across the backs of the seats, then over the 
pit and orchestra, and finally landed upon the 
stage. Then you could hardly imagine the em- 
braces, the kisses, the loving words, and the hand- 
clasps which Pinocchio received from that little 
wooden company of actors. It was indeed a 
touching sight. But the audience, when they 
saw that the play was not going on, began to 
grow impatient and to call , " We want the comedy ! 
Go on with the play ! " 

It was all breath thrown away, because the 
puppets, instead of resuming their parts, re- 
doubled their noise and their antics, and taking 
Pinocchio upon their shoulders they carried him 
in front of the footlights. 

Just then the manager came out. He was a 
big, ugly fellow who frightened people merely by 
looking at them. He had shaggy whiskers as 
black as ink, and so long that they reached the 
ground, and he trampled upon the ends when he 
walked. His mouth was as large as an oven, and 
his eyes like two red lanterns. In his hands he 
carried a huge whip made of snakes and foxes' 
tails, twisted together. 


Pinocchio 


3 2 

At sight of him all the players stood dumb, not 
daring to breathe. One could have heard a fly 
walk across the ceiling. 

“ Why do you come here and cause trouble in 
my theatre ? ” he demanded of Pinocchio in the 
harsh voice of an ogre with a cold in his head. 

“ Believe me, most worthy sir, the fault was not 
mine ” 

“ Enough of that ! We will settle accounts to- 
night.” And he hung Pinocchio upon the wall. 

When the play was over, the manager went 
into the kitchen, where he had dressed a sheep 
for his dinner and placed it on a spit. But he 
needed some more wood for the fire to finish 
roasting it, so he called to two of the puppets : 

“ Bring me the marionette that you will find 
hanging yonder on a nail. He appears to be 
made of nice dry wood and ought to make a 
splendid fire for finishing this roast.” 

At first the two puppets hesitated, but a glance 
from their master’s eye made them obey. They 
soon came back to the kitchen carrying poor 
Pinocchio who was wriggling like an eel and 
crying in despair, “ Oh, father, save me ! I don’t 
want to die ! I don’t want to die ! ” 


Fire-Eater Sneezes and Forgives 33 


CHAPTER XI 

FIRE-EATER SNEEZES AND FORGIVES 

T HE manager, Fire-Eater (for that was 
his name), seemed to be a terrible fel- 
low; that is to say, he looked terrible 
with that shaggy black beard covering his body 
and legs like an apron. But at heart he was not 
such a bad man. 

When he saw the struggles of poor Pinocchio, 
and heard his screams, he was touched with pity. 
For a little while he resisted his feelings, then 
when he could not hold in any longer he gave 
forth a tremendous sneeze. 

At that sneeze one of the puppets who had 
carried Pinocchio in, and who had since been 
doubled up with weeping, began to brighten up, 
and leaning over he whispered : 

“ Good news, brother ! Our master has sneezed, 
and that is a sure sign that he is moved with pity 
for you, and that you are saved." 

You must know that when men are sorry they 
cry or at least rub their eyes. But Fire-Eater 
was different — he always had to sneeze. That 


34 Pinocchio 

was his way of showing the tenderness of his 
heart. 

After he had sneezed, the showman looked 
particularly fierce and yelled at Pinocchio : “ Stop 
weeping ! Your cries have given me a very bad 
feeling in the pit of my stomach. I feel a 
spasm that almost — ah, chee ! ah, choo ! ” 

" Heaven bless you ! ” said Pinocchio . 1 

“ Thanks. And your father and mother, are 
they still living ? ” asked Fire-Eater. 

“ My father is ; but I never had a mother.” 

“ What distress it would have caused your old 
father, if you had been thrown into the fire. 
Poor old man, how I pity him! ah, chee ! ah, choo! 
ah, chee ! ” 

“ Heaven bless you ! ” said Pinocchio. 

“ Thanks. But then somebody must pity me 
too, for you see I have no more wood to roast 
my mutton and, to tell the truth, you would have 
made a fine blaze. Now that I have felt pity I 
must be patient. Instead of you, I guess I shall 
have to burn one of the puppets in my company. 
Come here, guards ! ” 

At this command two wooden officers marched 
in with caps on their heads and swords at their 

1 It is customary in Italy and elsewhere to bless one who has 
sneezed. 


Fire-Eater Sneezes and Forgives 35 

sides. Then the showman said to them in a 
hoarse voice : 

“ Seize upon Harlequin here and throw him 
on the fire. I must have my mutton well 
roasted." 

Think of poor Harlequin’s fix ! He was so 
scared that his legs gave way under him and he 
fell flat on the ground. At this sad sight, Pinoc- 
chio threw himself at the manager’s feet and 
weeping so hard that he wet the end of the long 
black whiskers, he cried in a pleading voice: 
* Have pity, Mr. Fire-Eater ! ” 

“ There are no misters here,” said the show- 
man in a hard voice. 

“ Have pity, my lord.” 

“ There are no lords here.” 

“ Have pity, general.” 

“ There are no generals here, either.” 

“ Have pity, your excellency.” 

When he heard himself called “ excellency,” 
the showman at once became softened. He said 
to Pinocchio in a kindly voice : “ Well, what do 
you want of me ? ” 

“ I beg of you to spare poor Harlequin.” 

“ I don’t see how I can spare him. I have let 
you go, and I must have some one to put on the 
fire, in order to roast my mutton well.” 


Pinocchio 


& 

" In that case,” said Pinocchio bravely, “ in 
that case I know my duty. Come, sir guards ! 
Tie my hands and throw me on the fire. It is 
not right that my friend should suffer in my 
stead.” 

At these words, pronounced in a loud heroic 
voice, all the puppets began to cry. Even the 
guards, though made of wood, began to cry like 
a couple of lambs. 

Fire-Eater at first sat silent and unmoved like 
a piece of ice. But at last, little by little, he be* 
gan to soften and then to sneeze. And after 
sneezing four or five times he opened his arms 
to Pinocchio, saying : 

“ You are indeed a brave boy ! Come and 
give me a kiss.” 

Pinocchio ran to him and climbing his beard 
as nimbly as a squirrel gave him a big kiss on 
the end of his nose. 

“ Then am I to be spared too ? ” asked poor 
Harlequin in a frightened little voice. 

“ Yes,” replied Fire-Eater sighing and shaking 
his head. " I must have patience and eat my 
mutton half roasted this evening. But woe to 
the next one ! ” 

When they learned that everybody was spared, 
the puppets ran to the stage and, turning up the 


The Fox and the Cat 


37 

lights, began to frolic and dance as if it were a 
gala night. And they danced until the next 
morning. 


CHAPTER XII 

THE FOX AND THE CAT 

T HE next morning Fire-Eater called 
Pinocchio to one side and asked him, 
“ What is your father’s name ? ” 

“ Gepetto,” replied the boy. 

“ And what is his business ? ” 

“ He is only a poor man.” 

“ Does he earn much ? ” 

“ He earns so much that often he hasn’t a 
cent in his pockets. Why, just think, in order 
to buy me a spelling-book he had to sell the very 
coat off his back — a coat, too, that was so patched 
it looked like a crazy-quilt.” 

“ Poor fellow ! I am indeed sorry for him. 
Now here are five gold pieces. Take them to 
him as quickly as possible, with my compli- 
ments.” 

You may believe that Pinocchio thanked the 
good showman a thousand times. He embraced 


Pinocchio 


38 

every one of the band of players, even the two 
guards ; and with a light heart set out upon the 
road for home. 

However, he had not gone more than a mile 
or two when whom should he meet but a Fox 
who was lame in one foot, and a Cat who was 
blind in both eyes. They were going along as 
best they could, each helping the other like good 
comrades. The Fox, since he was lame, leaned 
upon the Cat’s shoulder ; and the Cat, since he 
was blind, was guided by the Fox. 

“ Good-morning, Pinocchio,” said the Fox 
bowing politely. 

“How did you come to know my name?” 
asked the marionette. 

“ I know your father well.” 

“ Where have you seen him ? ” 

“ I saw him yesterday in the doorway of his 
home.” 

“ What was he doing ? ” 

“ He was in his shirt-sleeves and shivered 
from the cold.” 

“ Poor father ! But, heaven willing, he shan’t 
shiver any more after to-day.” 

“Why?” 

“ Because I have become a rich lord.” 

“You a rich lord! "said the Pox laughing 


Tile Fox and the Cat 39 

sneeringly. The Cat laughed also, but in order 
to hide it he brushed his moustache with his 
paw. 

“ There is nothing to laugh at," said Pinocchio 
in a huff. “ I don’t want to make you feel en- 
vious, but look at these beautiful gold pieces." 

And he pulled out of his pocket the money 
that Fire-Eater had given him. 

At the pleasing jingle of the gold, the Fox 
forgot himself so far as to straighten out his 
lame leg, while the Cat opened wide both his 
eyes, which looked like two green lanterns, but 
closed them again so quickly that Pinocchio did 
not notice them. 

“ What are you going to do with all this 
money?" asked the Fox. 

“ First of all," answered Pinocchio, “ I am go- 
ing to buy for my father a fine new coat trimmed 
with gold and silver and with diamond buttons. 
Then I shall buy a spelling-book for myself.” 

“ For yourself? " 

“ Why not ? I intend to go to school and 
study and be a good boy." 

“ Look at me," said the Fox. “ On account 
of my foolish passion for study I lost the use of 
one leg." 

“ Look at me," said the Cat. “ On account of 


4 ° 


Pinocchio 


my foolish passion for study I lost the sight of 
both eyes.” 

Just then a blackbird, sitting on a fence by 
the road, called out warningly, “ Pinocchio, do 
not heed the advice of bad companions. If you 
do you will rue it.” 

The words were hardly out of the bird’s mouth 
when the Cat gave a sudden spring and caught 
him, and without giving him even time to say 
" Oh ! ” he ate him at a mouthful, feathers and 
all. When he had finished the Cat washed his face, 
shut his eyes again, and became as blind as ever. 

“ Poor bird ! ” said Pinocchio to the Cat ; 
“ why did you treat him so badly ? ” 

“ To teach him a lesson. Another time he 
will know better than to meddle with other folks’ 
affairs.” 

The three walked along together for a short 
distance when the Fox, stopping suddenly, said : 
u Would you like to double your money?” 

“ What do you mean ? ” 

“ Would you like, instead of five paltry little 
gold pieces, to have a hundred or a thousand ? ” 

“ Wouldn’t I though ! But how could it be 
done ? ” 

“ Easy enough. Instead of going home at 
once, come along with us.” 


The Fox and the Cat 


41 


“ Where do you want to take me ? ” 

“To the Owl Country.” 1 

Pinocchio thought about it a little while and 
then said resolutely: “ No, I can’t go with you. 
I am not far away from home now, and my 
father is looking for me. Who knows if the 
poor man has not been worried by my absence. 
The Talking Cricket was right when he warned 
me against doing my own way. No later than 
last night I was in dire danger in the Fire-Eater’s 
house. Brrr ! it makes me shiver to think of it.” 

“ Then you are determined to go home, eh ? ” 
said the Fox. " Go ahead, but it will be so 
much the worse for you.” 

“ So much the worse for you,” repeated the 
Cat. 

“ Think it over well, Pinocchio, for you are 
throwing away a fortune.” 

“ Yes, a fortune,” said the Cat. 

“ Your five gold pieces ought to become two 
thousand by to-morrow.” 

“ Two thousand,” repeated the Cat. 

" But how could they possibly become so 
many ? ” asked Pinocchio standing with his 
mouth open. 

“ I will tell you,” said the Fox. “ You must 

1 A phrase meaning also “ Foolish Land.” 


4 2 


Pinocchio 


know that in the Owl Country there is a magic 
piece of ground called the Wonder Field. You 
go to this field and dig a little hole and bury, 
say, one of your gold pieces. Then you fill up 
the hole and sprinkle a few drops of water over 
it, also a little salt, and go to bed and sleep 
soundly. During the night the gold piece will 
begin to sprout and blossom, and the next morn- 
ing when you get up and go back to the field, 
what do you find ? Why, you find a beautiful 
tree as full of gold pieces as an ear of corn is of 
kernels.” 

“ How would it be,” said Pinocchio very much 
excited, “ if I should bury all five of the gold 
pieces ? ” 

“ That is easy to count up,” replied the Fox ; 
“ you can do it on your fingers. For each piece 
you will make five hundred; and so for five 
pieces you ought to get two thousand five hun- 
dred.” 

“ Oh, how beautiful ! ” cried Pinocchio dancing 
with delight. “ As soon as I make all those, I 
will keep two thousand for myself, and give you 
five hundred as a present.” 

“ Give us a present ?" said the Fox greatly of- 
fended. “ Not by any means ! ” 

“ Not by any means ! ” repeated the Cat. 


The Red Lobster Inn 


43 


“ As for us, M continued the Fox, “ we do not 
work for selfish ends. We work only to enrich 
others.” 

“ Enrich others,” repeated the Cat. 

“ What noble people ! ” thought Pinocchio to 
himself ; and forgetting all about his good reso- 
lutions, his father, the new coat, and the rest, he 
said to the Fox and the Cat : 

“ Come along — I’m with you ! ” 


CHAPTER XIII 

THE RED LOBSTER INN 

T HEY walked and walked and walked 
until toward nightfall, when they came 
to the Red Lobster Inn. Pinocchio 
felt that he couldn’t go a step farther. 

“ Let’s stop here a while,” said the Fox, “ for 
a little supper and rest. At midnight we can 
start again and by morning we will reach the 
Wonder Field.” 

So they went in and seated themselves around 
a table ; but nobody seemed hungry. The poor 
Cat had stomach trouble and couldn’t eat any- 
thing except thirty-five small fish with tomato 
sauce, and four helpings of tripe ; and because 


44 


Pinocchio 


the tripe was not well seasoned he had to help it 
down with three portions of butter and grated 
cheese. 

The Fox would have been glad to order some- 
thing, but his doctor had ordered a strict diet for 
him. He had to content himself with a tender 
young rabbit dressed with chicken giblets. After 
the rabbit he topped off with a few partridges, 
pheasants, frogs, lizards, and some grapes. That 
was all he could eat. The very sight of food, he 
said, was distasteful to him, and he didn’t want 
another mouthful. 

Pinocchio ate the least of all. He ordered a 
slice of meat and bread and left most of it on his 
plate. He was so occupied with thoughts of the 
Wonder Field that he couldn’t think of anything 
else. 

Supper over, the Fox said to the innkeeper : 
“ Give us two good rooms, one for Mr. Pinocchio, 
and the other for my friend and myself. We 
will take a little nap before starting. But remem- 
ber to call us at midnight sharp so that we may 
continue our journey.” 

“ Very good, sir,” said the innkeeper winking 
at the Fox and the Cat, as if to say, “ We under- 
stand each other.” 

As soon as Pinocchio went to bed he fell asleep 


The Red Lobster Inn 45 

and began to dream. He dreamed that he was 
in the midst of a field full of little trees, and these 
trees were loaded with gold pieces, and every 
time the wind shook them they went “ Tinkle , 
tinkle , tinkle ! " as if to say, “If you want me, 
come and get me." But just as Pinocchio was 
reaching for them in order to fill his pockets he 
was awakened by a loud rapping upon his door. 
It was the innkeeper who came in to say that the 
hour was midnight. 

“ Are my companions ready ? ” asked the mar- 
ionette. 

" Ready ? Why they left two hours ago." 

“ Why were they in such a hurry ? " 

“ The Cat received word that his oldest kitten 
had frozen his feet and was in grave danger." 

“ Did they pay for their supper?" 

" What a question ! Those two good people 
are too well-bred to have offered such an affront 
to your lordship." 

“ That's too bad ! Such an affront would not 
have displeased me much," said Pinocchio scratch- 
ing his head. Then he asked, “ Where did my 
good friends say they would meet me ? " 

“ At the Wonder Field, to-morrow morning at 
daybreak." 

Pinocchio paid one of his gold pieces for the 


Pinocchio 


46 

supper of himself and his friends and then set 
forth. But outside the inn it was so dark that he 
could not see the way ; he went stumbling along. 
The country on all sides was so quiet that you 
couldn’t hear a leaf stir. Some bats came flying 
across the road and struck Pinocchio on the nose, 
so that he jumped with fright and cried out : 
“ Who’s there ? ” and from the distant hills came 
back the echo, “ Who’s there ? Who’s there ? 
Who’s there ? ” 

He walked on a little farther and saw on the 
trunk of a tree a small creature that shone with a 
pale dim light like a wax candle behind a ground 
glass shade. 

“ Who are you ? ” asked Pinocchio. 

“ I am the ghost of the Talking Cricket,” an- 
swered the creature in a far-away voice which 
seemed to come from another world. 

“ What do you want ? ” 

“ I want to give you some advice. Go back at 
once to your father with the four gold pieces you 
have left. He is in deep sorrow because he 
thinks you are lost.” 

“ To-morrow my father will be a very rich 
man, because these four pieces will have become 
two thousand.” 

“ My boy, do not trust any one who promises 


Pinocchio Falls Among Thieves 47 

to make you rich over night. They are either 
fools or knaves. Listen to me and go back.” 

“ But I want to go on.” 

“ The hour is late.” 

“ I want to go on.” 

" The night is dark.” 

“ I want to go on.” 

“ The road is dangerous.” 

“ I want to go on.” 

“ Remember — boys who insist upon doing as 
they please are sorry for it sooner or later.” 

“ The same old story. Good-night, Cricket.” 
“ Good-night, Pinocchio, and may heaven keep 
you out of the hands of thieves.” 

With that the Talking Cricket disappeared, just 
like some one had blown out a candle, and the 
road seemed darker than ever. 

CHAPTER XIV 

PINOCCHIO FALLS AMONG THIEVES 

“f ■ ARULY,” said the marionette starting 
again on his way, “ how unlucky we 
JL poor boys are ! Everybody scolds us, 
everybody warns us, everybody gives us advice. 
If you listen to anybody they at once try to lord 


Pinocchio 


48 

it over you like a father or a teacher. Look at 
that bore of a Talking Cricket : Because I don’t 
follow all his advice he tells me all sorts of things 
will happen. He says I will meet with thieves ! 
Now I’ve never believed in thieves. I think they 
are only a bugaboo that our fathers make up to 
keep us in of nights. Suppose I should meet 
them — do you think I'd be scared? Not in the 
least ! I’d walk right up to them and I'd say : ‘ Sir 
thieves, what do you want of me ? I will have 
no trifling ! So go along and mind your own 
business ! ’ and at hearing talk like that the cow- 
ardly thieves would scamper away like the wind. 
And if they were wise enough to scamper one 
way, I would scamper the other — and that would 
end the matter.” 

But Pinocchio did not have time to end his 
reasoning, for just then he fancied he heard a 
slight rustling of leaves behind him. He turned 
sharply and made out two coal-black figures cov- 
ered with black sacks and hopping along on tip- 
toe like a couple of ghosts. 

“ Here they are, for a fact! ’’said Pinocchio 
to himself ; and not knowing where to hide 
the four gold pieces he clapped them in his 
mouth. Then he tried to run away, but had 
hardly gone a step before he was seized by the 


Pinocchio Falls Among Thieves 49 

arms and he heard two gruff, cavernous voices 
call out : 

“ Your money or your life ! ” 

Pinocchio was not able to reply on account of 
having the money in his mouth ; so he made a 
thousand bows and grimaces in order to let the 
robbers know that he was only a poor marionette 
who didn’t have a cent to his name. 

41 Come, come, out with it ! Stop your fool- 
ing!" commanded one of the thieves. 

The captive only made signs with his head and 
hands, as if to say, “ I haven’t any.” 

“ Out with it, I say, or you’re a dead one ! " 
said the taller of the two thieves. 

“ You're a dead one ! ’’ repeated the other. 

“ And when we’ve finished you, we’ll get your 
father too." 

“ We’ll get your father too," repeated the 
other. 

" No, no, no — not my poor father ! " cried 
Pinocchio in terror; but as he spoke the gold 
pieces jingled in his mouth. 

“ Oh, you rascal ! You have hidden that money 
under your tongue. Spit it out ! " 

Pinocchio didn’t budge. 

“ Ah, now you pretend to be deaf! Just wait 
a little and we'll make you give it up ! " 


5 ° 


Pinocchio 


So saying they began to maltreat the poor 
boy. The taller one took him by the nose and 
began to choke him, to force his mouth open, 
but could not manage it. Then the shorter one 
tried to force a knife between his teeth, when 
Pinocchio, quick as lightning, caught the fellow’s 
hand between his teeth. Fancy his surprise when 
he found that it was not a man’s hand, but only 
the paw of a cat ! 

Encouraged by this first victory, Pinocchio 
gave a sudden twist and freed himself from the 
thieves’ clutches, and jumping a fence at the side 
of the road he started across country at full speed 
— the thieves after him like two dogs after a 
rabbit. 

After running several miles Pinocchio had to 
stop. Thinking himself lost, he climbed to the 
top of a tall pine tree and sat down to rest. The 
thieves soon arrived and tried to climb up after 
him; but when they got half-way they slipped 
back to the ground skinning their hands and 
feet. 

But they were not ready to give up. On the 
contrary, they collected a bunch of dry wood, 
piled it up at the foot of the tree and set fire to 
it. In less time than I can tell it, the pine flared 
up like a huge wind-blown torch. Pinocchio 


Pinocchio Falls Among Thieves 51 

saw the flames growing larger, and not wishing 
to be finished like a broiled pigeon he gave a 
great leap from the tree-top to the ground, and 
began to run again across the fields and vine- 
yards. And the thieves were right on his heels ! 

Presently the morning began to dawn, and 
Pinocchio discovered, right across his path, a great 
deep ditch full of muddy water the color of coffee 
and milk. What was to be done ? “ One, two, 
three ! ” counted the marionette and with a tremen- 
dous jump he landed on the other side. The two 
thieves tried to leap after him but their feet 
slipped and kersplash ! they went right into the 
middle of the ditch. 

Pinocchio heard the splash, and laughed, and 
called out : “ A fine bath, sir thieves ! ” 

For a moment he thought they were drowned, 
but looking back he saw that they had scrambled 
across and were again after him, still wrapped in 
their sacks from which the water poured in a 
steady stream. 


5 2 


Pinocchio 


CHAPTER XV 

THE THIEVES HANG PINOCCHIO 

T HEN the marionette began to lose heart. 

He was on the point of throwing him- 
self upon the ground and giving up, 
when he saw far off, in the middle of the forest, a 
little cottage white and glistening as snow. 

“ If I can only manage to reach that cottage, 
I shall be saved,” he said to himself. 

And without losing a moment he ran on 
through the forest as hard as he could, the thieves 
close after him. After a desperate chase of two 
hours he came, out of breath, to the door of the 
cottage and knocked. 

No one answered. 

Again he knocked, louder, for the sound of 
running feet and heavy breathing told him that 
the pursuers were almost upon him. 

Still no reply. 

Seeing that knocking would have no effect, 
Pinocchio began to kick desperately upon the 
door. Then a window opened and there ap- 
peared a beautiful Fairy with blue hair and pale 


The Thieves Hang Pinocchio 53 

face like a figure of wax. Her eyes were closed 
and her hands were folded. Without moving 
her lips she said in a far-away voice which 
seemed to come from another world : 

“ No one lives here; all are gone away.” 

“ Open the door ! ” cried Pinocchio pleadingly. 

“ I also have gone away.” 

Saying this, the Fairy disappeared and the 
window closed without the least noise. 

“ Oh, beautiful Fairy with the Blue Hair,” 
cried Pinocchio, “ open to me, for pity’s sake. 
Have compassion upon a poor boy pursued by 
thieves ” 

But before he could finish he felt himself seized 
by the collar, and heard two rough voices growl- 
ing out, “ Now you shall not get away again ! ” 

The marionette, sure that his end had come, 
shook and trembled in every joint until he fairly 
rattled ; so did the four gold pieces still hidden 
under his tongue. 

“ Now will you open your mouth or not ? ” 
demanded the thieves. “ Ah ! you won’t reply ? 
Very well — this time we’ll make you open it ! ” 

They drew out two knives as sharp as razors, 
and whack , whack ! they gave him two hard 
slashes across the back. But fortunately the 
marionette was made of the hardest wood. The 


Pinocchio 


54 

knife blades broke all to pieces, leaving only the 
handles in the hands of the robbers. 

«• I see we’ll have to hang him,” said one to 
the other. “ That’s the ticket ! ” 

“ That’s the ticket ! ” repeated the other. 

No sooner said than done. They tied his 
hands together, and slipping a rope around his 
neck they strung him up to the limb of a huge 
tree called the Great Oak. Then they calmly sat 
down upon the grass and waited for him to die. 
But after three hours the marionette's eyes were 
still open, his mouth was closed, and he kicked 
harder than ever. 

After awhile they got tired of waiting, and 
turned to Pinocchio saying mockingly : “ Good- 
bye until to-morrow. We will return then, and 
hope you will be polite enough to open your 
mouth for us.” 

Thereupon they went away. 

After a while a great wind arose and blew the 
marionette back and forth like the clapper of a 
bell. It made the rope tighten until he could 
scarcely breathe. He feared that he must soon 
die, but still hoped that some one would come 
and rescue him. All in vain. No one came and 
he felt himself growing weaker. Then he be- 
thought himself of his poor father, and murmured : 


The Fairy With the Blue Hair 55 

“ Oh, my father ! If you were only here ! ” 

At last his breath failed him and he hung 
silent. 


CHAPTER XVI 

THE FAIRY WITH THE BLUE HAIR 

W HILE poor Pinocchio hung from the 
limb of the Great Oak, seemingly more 
dead than alive, the Fairy with the 
Blue Hair came again to the window. At sight 
of the unhappy boy swinging backward and for- 
ward in the wind, she was moved with pity. 
She clapped her hands three times, and at this 
signal the flutter of wings was heard and a great 
Falcon came and alighted upon the window ledge. 

“ What are your commands, my gracious 
Fairy ? ” he asked bowing low. For you must 
know that the Fairy with the Blue Hair was none 
other than a good spirit who had lived near this 
forest for a thousand years. 

“ Do you see that marionette hanging to a 
limb of the Great Oak ? ” 

“ Yes.” 

“ Then fly quickly and cut with your strong 
beak the rope that chokes him, lay him gently on 
the ground, and then come back to me.” 


Pinocchio 


56 

In two minutes the Falcon flew back, saying : 
“ I have done as you commanded.” 

“ And how did you find him — alive or dead?” 

“ From his looks I thought him dead, but he 
cannot be entirely so, because the moment I cut 
the knot which held him, he gave a sigh and 
murmured : ‘ Ah, I feel better ! ' ” 

Then the Fairy clapped her hands twice and 
there appeared a fine-looking Dog walking along 
on his hind legs just like a man. He was dressed 
in full coachman’s livery. He wore a cap 
trimmed in gold lace and under it a light curly 
wig. His coat was of chocolate color, set off by 
diamond buttons and provided with two large 
pockets in which to stow away bones. His 
trousers were of rich crimson velvet, and he had 
silk stockings and low shoes. Behind him he 
carried a sort of umbrella case of blue satin in 
which to thrust his tail when the weather was 
stormy. 

“ My good Rover,” said the Fairy, “ run 
quickly and harness up the finest coach in my 
stables, and then drive into the forest. When 
you come to the Great Oak you will find upon 
the ground a poor little marionette, half dead. 
Take him up carefully and bring him here to me. 
Do you understand ? ” 


The Fairy With the Blue Hair 57 

The Dog wagged his tail three or four times 
to show that he understood, and was off like a 
shot. It was not long until there came out from 
the stables a handsome sky-blue carriage all 
tufted inside with canary bird feathers the color 
of whipped cream. It was drawn by a hundred 
pairs of white mice, and the Dog sat up on the 
box cracking his whip from right to left in great 
style. 

A quarter of an hour had scarcely gone by 
when the carriage returned, and the Fairy who 
had waited at the door took the marionette in 
her arms and carried him to a bed inlaid with 
mother-of-pearl, and sent at once for the most 
famous doctors of that neighborhood. 

One after another the doctors arrived. They 
were a Crow, a Screech-Owl, and a Talking 
Cricket. 

“ Gentlemen,” said the Fairy, “ I should like to 
know whether this marionette is alive or dead.” 

At this question, the Crow came forward first, 
felt the patient’s pulse, looked in his nose, tickled 
him on the feet, and after this examination gave 
the following solemn opinion : 

“ It is my belief that the patient is dead ; but 
if through some oversight he should not be dead, 
then it would be a sure sign that he is still alive.” 


J8 


Pinocchio 


“ It grieves me/’ said the Owl, “ to have to 
contradict the Crow, my illustrious friend and 
colleague. It is my belief that the patient is 
alive ; but if through some oversight he should 
not be alive, then it would be a sure sign that he 
is dead.” 

“And have you nothing to say ? '\asked the 
Fairy of the Talking Cricket. 

“ I say that the prudent doctor always keeps 
silent when he doesn’t understand a case. For 
the rest, the marionette’s face looks familiar to 
me. I have known him for some time.” 

Pinocchio, who up to that time had been lying 
as stiff as a stick of wood, now gave such a start 
that he shook the whole bed. 

“ This marionette,” continued the Cricket, “ is 
a sorry rascal.” 

Pinocchio opened his eyes and shut them 
quickly. 

“ He is a scamp, a rogue, a vagabond.” 

Pinocchio hid his head under the coverlet. 

“ This marionette is a disobedient son who is 
likely to break his poor father’s heart.” 

At this point the sound of weeping could be 
heard. Just imagine how surprised they all were 
when, lifting the coverlet, they found that the 
noise came from Pinocchio ! 


Pinocchio Gets Well 


59 


“ When a dead boy cries,” said the Crow sol- 
emnly, “ it is a sure sign that he is getting well.” 

“ It grieves me to contradict my illustrious 
friend and colleague,” said the Owl ; “ but it 
seems to me that when a live boy cries, it is a 
sure sign that he doesn’t want to die.” 


CHAPTER XVII 

PINOCCHIO GETS WELL— AND TELLS A LIE 

W HEN the three doctors had gone, the 
Fairy came to Pinocchio and, upon 
touching his forehead, perceived that 
he had a high fever. So she put a white powder 
in a glass of water and gave it to him, saying 
gently : 

“JDrink this and after a while you will be 
well.” 

Pinocchio gazed at the glass, made a wry face, 
and asked whiningly : 

“ Is it sweet or bitter ? ” 

“ It is bitter but will do you good.” 

“ If it is bitter, I don’t want it.” 

“ Listen to me ; drink it.” 

“ But I don’t like bitter things.” 


6o 


Pinocchio 


“ Drink it, and then I will give you a lump of 
sugar to take the taste out of your mouth.” 

“ Where is the lump of sugar ? ” 

“ Here it is.” 

“ Give it to me first, and then I will take the 
medicine.” 

“ You promise ? ” 

“ Yes.” 

The Fairy gave him the sugar, and Pinocchio 
soon finished it ; then he said, licking his lips, 
“ How nice it would be if sugar were medicine ! 
I’d take it every day.” 

“ Now keep your promise and take the med- 
icine,” said the Fairy ; “ it will make you well.” 

Pinocchio held the glass in his hand and sniffed 
at its contents ; then put it to his mouth ; then 
smelled it again ; and finally said : 

“ It’s too bitter — too bitter ! I can’t possibly 
gulp it down.” 

“ How can you say that when you haven’t 
tasted it ? ” 

“ Oh, I can imagine — I can tell by the smell ! 
Give me another lump of sugar and then I will 
drink it.” 

So the Fairy, with all the patience of an indul- 
gent mamma, put another lump of sugar in his 
mouth and then handed him the medicine again. 


Pinocchio Gets Well 61 

“ Truly I can’t drink it ! ” wailed the marionette 
with a thousand grimaces. 

“ Why ? ” 

“ Because that pillow is too close to my feet.” 

The Fairy moved the pillow. 

“ It’s no use — I can’t drink it.” 

“ What else annoys you ? ” 

“ That door is ajar.” 

The Fairy shut the door. 

“ Honestly, I can't drink that bitter stuff,” 
howled Pinocchio. “ No, no, no ! ” 

“ My boy, you will be sorry.” 

“ I don't care.” 

“ You’ll die of the fever.” 

“ I don’t care. I’d rather die than take that 
bitter medicine.” 

“ All right, then,” said the Fairy. 

At this the door opened and in walked four 
Rabbits, black as ink, and carrying a coffin on 
their shoulders. 

“ What do you want?” cried Pinocchio sitting up. 

“ We have come to take you away,” said the 
largest Rabbit. 

“ To take me away ? Why, I’m not dead yet ! ” 

“ No, not yet ; but you will be in a few mo- 
ments since you have refused the medicine that 
would make you well.” 


62 


Pinocchio 


“ O my Fairy, my Fairy ! ” yelled Pinocchio, 
“ give me that medicine — quickly ! Send them 
away — I don’t want to die — I don’t want to die ! ” 

And he seized the glass with both hands and 
drank the dose down at one gulp. 

“ Pshaw!” said the Rabbits, “ we have come 
on a fool’s errand.” And taking the coffin up 
on their shoulders they went away grumb- 
ling. 

Not long afterward Pinocchio jumped out of 
bed entirely well ; for, you must know, that 
wooden boys are rarely ill and then get well 
quickly. When the Fairy saw him capering 
around the room happy as a chicken that has just 
burst its shell, she said : 

“ So my medicine has really cured you ? ” 

“ Yes, indeed. I had a close call.” 

“ Then why did you make such a fuss about 
taking it ? ” 

“ Oh, boys are all alike. We are more afraid 
of the medicine than of the illness.” 

“ For shame ! Boys ought to know that a 
good remedy taken in time often keeps off a 
dangerous sickness — perhaps death.” 

“ The next time I shan’t be so bad. I shall re- 
member those black Rabbits and the coffin — then 
I’ll take the medicine right away.” 


Pinocchio Gets Well 63 

“ That's right. Now come and tell me how 
you happened to fall into the hands of thieves.” 

Pinocchio told faithfully all that had happened 
to him. When he had ended, the Fairy asked : 

“ What did you do with the four gold pieces ? ” 

“ I lost them,” replied Pinocchio ; but he told 
a lie, because he had them in his pocket. 

The moment he said this, his nose, which was 
already long enough, grew four inches longer. 

“ Where did you lose them ? ” asked the Fairy. 

“ In the forest near here.” 

At this second lie, the nose grew still longer. 

“ If you have lost them in the forest near here,” 
said the Fairy, “ we shall soon find them ; for 
everything here is always found.” 

“ Ah, now I recollect,” said the marionette. 
“ I did not lose the coins, but I swallowed them 
when I took the medicine.” 

At the third lie, Pinocchio’s nose grew so long 
that he couldn’t turn around. If he turned one 
way he struck it against the bed-post or the win- 
dow. If he turned the other, he hit the wall or 
the door. 

The Fairy looked at him and began to laugh. 

“ Why are you laughing ? ” asked the mario- 
nette sheepishly. 

“ I laugh at the foolish lies you have told.” 


6 4 


Pinocchio 


“ How did you know they were lies ? ” 

“ Lies, my boy, are recognized at once, be- 
cause they are of only two kinds. Some have 
short legs, and others have long noses. Yours 
are the kind that have long noses.” 

Pinocchio was so crestfallen that he tried to run 
away and hide himself, but he couldn’t. His 
nose had grown so long that he couldn’t get it 
through the door. 


CHAPTER XVIII 

THE FOX AND THE CAT AGAIN 

T HE Fairy let the marionette cry and 
howl for a good half hour on account 
of his long nose. She did this in order 
to teach him a lesson upon the folly of telling 
falsehoods. But when she saw his eyes swollen 
and his face red with weeping, she was moved by 
pity for him. She clapped her hands together, 
and at the signal a large flock of woodpeckers 
flew into the window and, alighting one by one 
upon Pinocchio’s nose, they pecked so hard that 
in a few moments it was reduced to its usual 


size. 


The Fox and the Cat Again 65 

" How good you are, dear Fairy ! ” said the 
marionette wiping his eyes ; “ and how I love 
you ! ” 

“ I love you too,” replied the Fairy, “ and if 
you would like to live here in my house you 
shall be my little brother.” 

“ I would do so gladly — but my poor fa- 
ther ?” 

“ I have arranged all that. Your father has 
been told already, and will join us here before 
nightfall.” 

“ Truly ? ” cried Pinocchio dancing around 
with delight. “ Then, my Fairy, if you will let 
me I would like to go and meet him. I can 
hardly wait to see the dear old man who has 
suffered so much for me.” 

" Go, then, but be careful not to lose your way. 
Take the road to the forest and you will surely 
meet him.” 

Pinocchio set forth, and as soon as he was in 
the forest he began to run like a deer. But when 
he reached a certain spot opposite the Great Oak 
he stopped, thinking that he heard some one. 
In fact he saw coming along the road — whom do 
you suppose ? — why, the Fox and the Cat, the 
same two persons who had supped with him at 
the Red Lobster Inn. 


66 


Pinocchio 


“ Well, if here isn’t our dear Pinocchio ! ” cried 
the Fox running up to him and throwing both 
arms round his neck. “ How did you ever get 
here ? ” 

“ How did you ever get here ? ” repeated the 
Cat. 

“ It’s a long story,” said the marionette, “ which 
I shall have to tell you later. Do you know, the 
other night after you had left me at the Inn I 
met two thieves on the highway.” 

“ Two thieves ? Oh, my poor friend ! And 
what did they want ? ” 

" They tried to rob me of my money.” 

“ Infamous ! ” said the Fox. 

“ Most infamous ! ” said the Cat. 

" But I got away from them,” continued the 
marionette ; “ then they pursued me and after a 
long chase they caught me and hung me upon a 
limb of that oak tree yonder.” 

“ Who ever heard of such a thing ! ” said the 
Fox. “ What a world we live in, where nobody 
can be safe any more ! ” 

While they were talking, Pinocchio noticed 
that one of the Cat’s paws was tied up as if it 
were hurt. 

“ What’s the matter with your paw ? ” he asked. 

The Cat tried to answer but grew confused. 


The Fox and the Cat Again 67 

so the Fox said for him: “ My friend is so mod- 
est he doesn’t like to talk. He got his foot hurt 
through mistaken kindness to a Wolf. My friend 
has such a kind heart ! ” and the Fox wiped 
away a tear. 

Pinocchio also was very much touched by 
this. “ Never mind ! ” he said patting the Cat on 
the shoulder. 

“ Where are you going now ? ” asked the Fox 
of Pinocchio. 

“ I am on my way to meet my father, who may 
arrive here at any moment.” 

“ And your money ? ” 

“ Oh, I have that safe enough in my pocket, 
all except the coin I spent at the Red Lobster.” 

“ And to think that those four gold pieces 
could so easily become a thousand or two by to- 
morrow ! Why don’t you follow my advice and 
plant them in the Wonder Field ? ” 

“ To-day it is impossible. Some other day we 
might do it.” 

“ Some other day will be too late,” said the 
Pox. 

" Why?” 

“ Because this land has just been bought by a 
rich lord, and after to-morrow nobody will be 
permitted to plant things in it.” 


68 


Pinocchio 


“ How far away is it? ” 

“ Not more than two miles. Will you come 
along now? In half an hour you’ll be there. 
Then you can plant your coins at once, and in a 
few minutes you can harvest your two thousand, 
and this evening you’ll have your pockets full. 
Will you come ? ” 

Pinocchio hesitated. He remembered the ad- 
vice of the good Fairy, and of old Gepetto, and 
of the Talking Cricket. But he ended by doing 
like all silly little boys who want to please them- 
selves. With a nod of his head he said to the 
Fox and Cat, 11 All right, I’m with you ! ” and 
they started. 

After walking for about half a day they came 
to a city called “ Fools-Trap.” When they had 
entered it Pinocchio saw in every street lean dogs 
yawning from hunger, shorn sheep which trem- 
bled from cold, plucked chickens which gaped 
for aid, butterflies without wings, peacocks whose 
tails had been cut off, and other forlorn animals. 

In the midst of this wretched throng they 
passed, from time to time, fine carriages whose 
occupants proved to be some Fox or Magpie or 
Vulture. 

“ Where is the Wonder Field ? ” demanded 
Pinocchio. 


The Fox and the Cat Again 69 

“ Only a few steps farther." 

In proof of this they went on through the city 
and stopped outside the walls in a deserted field 
that looked like other fields. 

“ Here we are," said the Fox ; “ now just stoop 
down, dig a little hole with your hands, and 
plant your gold pieces." 

Pinocchio obeyed. He dug a hole and put 
the four coins in it, then covered it all over again. 

“ Now then," said the Fox, “bring a little wa- 
ter from that ditch and sprinkle over the place 
where you have planted the gold." 

Pinocchio went to the ditch, and as he had no 
bucket he took off one of his shoes, filled it with 
water, and sprinkled the ground. Then he 
asked : 

“ Is there anything else to do ? " 

“ Nothing else," replied the Fox. “ Now we 
can go away. In twenty minutes you can come 
back and find a little tree sprouting up, with all 
its branches full of gold pieces." 

The silly marionette, almost crazy with joy at 
the prospect, thanked the Fox and Cat a thou- 
sand times and promised them a splendid gift. 

“ We don’t wish anything," they replied. 
“ We are satisfied to have taught you how to get 
rich without labor ; it is our best reward." 


7 ° 


Pinocchio 


With this they bade farewell to Pinocchio, 
wished him a fine harvest, and went their way. 

CHAPTER XIX 

PINOCCHIO IS THROWN INTO PRISON 

T HE marionette went back to the city 
and began to count the minutes one by 
one ; and as soon as he thought the 
time was up he returned hastily to the Wonder 
Field. As he walked along with impatient steps 
his heart beat like a clock, tick — tock i tick — tock ! 
and he was thinking to himself : 

“ What if I should find five thousand gold 
pieces instead of two thousand? What if I 
should find a hundred thousand ? Oh, what a 
rich man I should be ! I would have a fine pal- 
ace, and a stable full of horses and carriages ; and 
I would have a cellar full of sweetmeats and a 
pantry full of cakes and candies.” 

With such wild dreams as these he finally 
reached the field and began to look for the tree 
laden with gold ; but he saw nothing. He went 
a hundred steps further ; nothing. He went all 
around the field until he reached the hole where 
he had planted his money ; and still nothing. 



“WHAT ARE YOU LAUGHING AT?" ASKED PINOCCHIO 

















* 























































































































































Pinocchio is Thrown Into Prison 71 

He took off his hat and scratched his head in 
perplexity. 

Just then he heard a burst of laughter, and 
looking upward he saw a large Parrot who was 
cleaning his feathers with his bill. 

“ What are you laughing at ? ” asked Pinoc- 
chio in a rage. 

“ I laugh because in preening my wings I 
tickled myself.” 

The marionette had no reply for this. He 
went again to the ditch and filling his shoe with 
water as before, sprinkled the earth above his 
treasure, — when behold, another peal of laughter 
more impertinent than the first echoed through 
the silent field ! 

“Vulgar fellow, do you know what you are 
laughing about now?” cried Pinocchio wrath- 
fully. 

“ I laugh at those simpletons who believe every 
tomfoolery that is told them and who fall into 
every trap.” 

“ Do you mean me ? ” 

“ Yes, I mean you, Pinocchio. You are fool- 
ish enough to believe that money grows like 
corn. I thought so too, once upon a time, but I 
suffered for it. Now — too late ! — I have found 
out that in order to gain money honestly one 


Pinocchio 


7 2 

must work either with his hands or with his 
head.” 

“ I don't understand you,” said the marionette, 
who began to tremble with fear. 

“ Then I will explain myself,” said the Parrot. 
“ Know then, that while you were away in the 
city, the Fox and the Cat came back here and 
stole your money and fled like the wind. You’ll 
never be able to catch them.” 

Pinocchio stood with open mouth; and not 
wishing to believe the Parrot’s story he com- 
menced to dig up the ground with his fingers. 
He dug and dug and dug until he had made a 
hole so large that a haystack might be put in it. 
But he never found a trace of the money. 

Then in despair he returned to the city. He 
went into the court of law to lodge a complaint 
against the robbers who had stolen his money. 

The Judge was a Monkey of the race of Goril- 
las. He was very old and looked dignified on 
account of his white beard and gold eye-glasses, 
without lenses, which he wore all the time on 
account of weak eyes. 

Pinocchio told the Judge all about the fraud 
which had been practiced upon him, and gave 
the names and descriptions of the thieves. He 
ended by asking for justice. 


Pinocchio is Thrown Into Prison 73 

The Judge listened to him with a kind face 
and seemed greatly interested and even moved. 
When the marionette had finished his story he 
stretched out his hand and rang a bell. At this 
summons two Mastiffs dressed like policemen en- 
tered the room. 

Then the Judge pointed at Pinocchio and said, 
“ This silly fellow has been robbed of all his 
money. Arrest him and put him in prison.” 

The marionette on hearing this sentence could 
hardly believe his ears. Then he began to pro- 
test ; but the officers, in order to avoid a useless 
waste of time, clapped him over the mouth and 
put him in a prison-cell. 

And there he had to stay for four long months 
— and probably would have been there much 
longer if it had not been for a lucky happening. 
It seems that the Emperor of the city of P'ools- 
Trap won a victory over his enemies, and to cele- 
brate it he ordered a great festival with fireworks, 
parades and feasts ; and in order to make still 
greater rejoicing he opened all the prisons and 
set the criminals at liberty. 

“ If the other prisoners are freed, I ought to be 
too,” said Pinocchio to the jailer. 

“ You ? — no,” replied the jailer ; “ you are not 
an evil-doer.” 


74 


Pinocchio 


“ Excuse me,” replied Pinocchio, “ but if it 
comes to that I’m as bad as any of them.” 

“ Then you are right,” said the jailer ; and tak- 
ing off his hat respectfully he opened the cell 
door and stood aside with a bow, for the mario- 
nette to pass out. 


CHAPTER XX 

A TERRIBLE SERPENT 

J UST imagine Pinocchio’s delight when he 
was set free ! He did not stop to look back 
but set out on a run until he had left the 
ill-fated city behind him. Then he took the road 
which led to the Fairy’s cottage. 

There had been a good deal of rain, and the 
roads were so muddy that he sank in almost to 
his knees. But Pinocchio was not to be held 
back. Eager to see his father again and the 
Fairy with the Blue Hair, he leaped along like a 
hunting dog and splashed mud all over himself. 
And as he went he said to himself : 

“How unlucky I have been ! But I deserved 
it — I’ve wanted to do things my own way and 
haven’t listened to advice. Well, I have learned 
my lesson and shall do better after this. Plow 


A Terrible Serpent 75 

glad I shall be to see my father ! And the Fairy 
— will she forgive me, I wonder ? ” 

Just then he stopped suddenly in great alarm, 
and jumped back four steps. 

What had he seen ? 

He had seen a great Serpent lying across the 
road. It had a green skin, eyes of flame, and its 
sharp tail smoked like a chimney. 

It would be impossible to picture the mario- 
nette’s fear. Back he ran and seated himself 
upon a pile of stones, waiting for the Serpent to 
go on his way and leave the road clear. 

He waited an hour — two hours — three hours — 
but the Serpent didn't budge. Finally Pinocchio 
plucked up courage, came up toward the Serpent 
and said in a soft, polite voice : 

“ I — I beg your pardon, Mr. Serpent, but 
would you do me the favor to draw over to one 
side a little, so that I may get by you ? ” 

He might as well have talked to a wall. There 
was no reply. The marionette continued in the 
same voice : 

“ You must know, Mr. Serpent, that I am go- 
ing home to see my father, after a long time ; so 
please let me pass.” 

Still no answer. But the Serpent who up to 
that time had been full of life now grew motion- 


y6 Pinocchio 

less and stiff. His eyes closed and his tail ceased 
to smoke. 

“ I wonder if he is dead ? ” said Pinocchio rub- 
bing his hands with relief. And without further 
delay he started to jump over. But he had no 
more than lifted one leg when the Serpent rose 
suddenly like a Jack-in-the-box. The mario- 
nette tried to jump back but lost his balance and 
landed in a mud-hole, head first, with his feet 
kicking wildly in air. 

At this sight the Serpent was seized with such 
a fit of laughter that he couldn’t stop. He 
laughed and laughed and laughed until he choked 
himself. And this time he was really dead. 

Pinocchio now plucked up courage and started 
again on his way to the Fairy’s cottage. He ran 
and ran for a long while. But the road was so 
long and muddy that he could hardly travel. 
Besides he was gnawed by a terrible hunger. 

At last he jumped over a fence into a field with 
the intention of picking a few grapes ; but again 
ill fortune awaited him. He had no sooner 
reached the vine than crack! he felt his foot 
seized by two teeth of iron which made him see 
all the stars in the heavens. 

The poor marionette was fast in a trap ! 


Pinocchio Plays Watch-Dog 77 


CHAPTER XXI 

PINOCCHIO PLAYS WATCH-DOG 

P INOCCHIO lifted up his voice in a great 
outcry; but his cries and screams were 
useless, as there were no houses near by, 
and no people on the highway. 

Night drew on. On account of the pain of 
the trap, and his fear at being alone in this dark, 
silent field, the marionette nearly fainted. Just 
then a Fire- fly passed over his head and he called 
to it : 

“ Oh, little Fire-fly, would you have the kind- 
ness to free me from this torture ? ” 

“ Poor little boy !” replied the Fire-fly regard- 
ing him with pity. “ How did you come to get 
caught in that trap ? ” 

“ I came into the field to pick a few grapes 
and ” 

“ But were the grapes yours ? ” 

“ No.” 

“ Then who taught you to take other people’s 
grapes ? ” 

“ I was hungry.” 


7 « 


Pinocchio 


“ Hunger, my boy, is no excuse.” 

“ I know it,” wailed Pinocchio ; “ I wouldn’t 
do it, next time.” 

At this moment they heard steps approach- 
ing. It was the farmer who owned the field 
coming quietly to see if he had caught one of 
the thieving weasels that had been eating his 
chickens. Great was his astonishment to see, by 
the light of his dark lantern, that he had caught 
a boy instead of a weasel. 

“ Ah, you little rascal ! ” he shouted angrily ; 
" so it’s you that carries off my chickens? ” 

“ No, no, not I ! ” sobbed Pinocchio. “ I came 
into the field only to get a bunch or two of 
grapes.” 

“ He who steals grapes is quite likely to steal 
chickens too. Leave it to me. I’ll give you a 
lesson you’ll remember for a while.” 

He opened the trap and took the marionette 
out by the back of the neck like a kitten, and 
carried him. to the house. When he reached 
there he said : “ It is late and I’m going to bed. 

We will settle matters to-morrow. Meanwhile, 
as my watch-dog died to-day I will put you in 
his place.” 

With this, he took a big collar all covered with 
brass nails, placed it around Pinocchio’s neck 


Pinocchio Plays Watch-Dog 79 

and secured it so tightly that he couldn't get it 
off. To the collar was attached a long iron 
chain which was riveted, at the other end, in the 
wall. 

“ If it should happen to rain," said the farmer, 
“ you can crawl into this dog-house and lie down 
on the straw. It has been my poor dog’s bed 
for four years. But remember — if the thieves 
come into the yard you are to keep a sharp look- 
out" 

With this warning, the farmer went into his 
own house and shut and bolted the door ; while 
poor Pinocchio crouched down more dead than 
alive from fear and cold and hunger. From time 
to time he tried to ease his collar with his hands 
saying with a moan : 

“ It serves me right ! It certainly serves me 
right! But who would have thought that I 
should end my days living in a dog-house and 
guarding a chicken-coop ! ” 

With these sad thoughts he went into the dog- 
house and soon fell asleep. 


8o 


Pinocchio 


CHAPTER XXII 

AND CATCHES THE THIEVES 

A FTER Pinocchio had slept soundly for 
more than two hours, he was awakened 
about midnight by the sound of whis- 
pering and voices saying “Hist, hist /” which 
seemed to come from the barnyard. Thrusting 
the end of his nose out of the door he saw four 
animals with mottled coats, something like cats. 
But they were not cats. They were Weasels — 
bloodthirsty animals fond of eggs and young 
chickens. One of the number now approached 
the dog-house and said in a low voice : 

“ Good-evening, Rover.” 

“ I’m not Rover,” replied the marionette. 

" Who are you, then ? ” 

“ I am Pinocchio.” 

“ What are you doing here ? ” 

Playing watch-dog.” 

“ Where is Rover — the old dog who formerly 
lived here ? ” 

“ He died this morning.” 

“ Dead ? — poor fellow ! He was a good dog. 





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PINOCCHIO PLAYS WATCH-DOG 



















































































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And Catches the Thieves 8l 

But judging from your looks you are a good dog 
too.” 

“ I beg your pardon — I’m not a dog.” 

“ What are you then ? ” 

“ I’m a marionette.” 

“ And you’re just playing watch-dog ? ” 

“ Yes — by way of punishment.” 

“ Well, I should like to make the same agree- 
ment with you that we had with Rover.” 

“ What is that ? ” asked Pinocchio. 

“We will come here once a week, as we have 
in the past,” said the Weasel, “and carry off 
eight chickens. Seven of them we shall eat, and 
one we shall give to you on condition, remem- 
ber, that you pretend to sleep and do not give 
any alarm.” 

“ And did Rover do that? ” 

“ Yes, indeed, and the plan worked finely. 
Now go to sleep and rest assured that upon leav- 
ing we will give you a nice fat chicken for your 
breakfast. Do you understand ? ” 

“ Only too well ! ” replied Pinocchio, with a 
nod as much as to say, “ I’ll see you later ! ” 
When the four Weasels felt that they were 
safe, they crept one by one to the hen-house, 
opened the little wooden door with their teeth, 
and slipped inside. But no sooner had they got 


82 Pinocchio 

in than they heard the door slam shut with a 
bang. 

It was Pinocchio who had closed the door, and 
not content with that he rolled a big stone up 
against it to keep it shut. Then he began to 
bark, “ Bow, wow, wow , wow /” just like a dog. 
At the sound of barking, the farmer jumped out 
of bed, seized his gun, and came to the window, 
calling out : 

“ What’s the matter ? ” 

“ I’ve caught the thieves ! ” replied Pinocchio. 

“ Where ? ” 

“ In the hen-house.” 

“ I’ll be down at once.” 

And before you could say “ beans ” the farmer 
was there. He walked into the hen-house, 
caught the Weasels, put them in a sack, and 
said with much satisfaction : 

“ So I’ve got you at last ! I won’t try to pun- 
ish you, but I’ll send you to the next town, where 
they can make use of your pelts.” 

Then turning to Pinocchio he said : “ How 
did you happen to discover their plot ? My 
good Rover was never able to catch them !” 

The marionette was tempted to tell what he 
knew about the agreement between the dog and 
the Weasels. But remembering that the dog 


Alone in the World 83 

was dead, he thought to himself : “ What good 
will it do to accuse the dead ? The best thing to 
do is to let him lie in peace.” 

“ Were you asleep or awake when the Weasels 
came ? ” asked the farmer. 

“ I was asleep/' replied Pinocchio, “ but they 
awoke me by whispering together, and one of 
them came up to me and said, “ If you'll promise 
not to bark and awaken the farmer, we will give 
you a chicken. How could they have dared to 
make me such a proposal ! I don’t propose to 
help thieves.” 

“ Good boy ! ” said the farmer patting him on 
the shoulder. “ Such sentiments do you honor. 
And to show my own gratitude to you, I shall 
set you free to go on your way.” 

And he took off the dog-collar. 


CHAPTER XXIII 

ALONE IN THE WORLD 

A S soon as Pinocchio felt himself free from 
that hard and shameful collar, he began 
to run across the fields, and did not 
pause a moment until he reached the road which 
led to the Fairy’s house. 


Finocchio 


84 

When he came to the road he looked ahead. 
With the naked eye he could see the forest where 
he had met the Fox and the Cat ; and he could 
even see, above the other trees, the Great Oak 
to which they had hanged him. But he could 
not see any trace of the cottage belonging to the 
Fairy with the Blue Hair. 

At this he felt a sad foreboding. He began 
to run as fast as his legs would carry him, and in 
a few minutes he reached the field where the 
white cottage had once stood. But it was no 
longer there. Instead he saw a marble slab upon 
the ground, on which any one who could read 
would have made out these words : 

Here Lies 

The Fairy with the Blue Hair 
Dead of Grief 
Because she was forsaken by 
Her Brother Pinocchio 

Although Pinocchio could not read, he could 
spell out the Fairy’s name and his own, and he 
guessed the rest. I leave you to imagine his 
deep sorrow. He threw himself flat upon the 
ground, kissed the marble slab a thousand times, 
and burst into a torrent of weeping. All night 
long he lay there and wept, and all next morning 


Alone in the World 85 

until he had no tears left. And his cries were so 
shrill that all the hills round about echoed with 
them. 

“ Oh, my Fairy ! ” he sobbed, “ why did you 
die ? Why didn’t I die instead of you ? Iam 
so naughty and you are so good ! And where is 
my father ? Oh, my Fairy, how can I find him ? 
I’ll promise never to leave him again — never, 
never, never ! If I could only die too — oh, oh, 
oh ! ” 

With these and many other cries he worked 
himself up to such despair that he wanted to tear 
his hair out by the roots. But being wooden 
hair he couldn’t get hold of it with his fingers. 

In the meantime a large Pigeon flying over- 
head stopped a moment at seeing his distress and 
called down to him : 

“ Hello, my boy, what are you doing down 
there ? ” 

“ Can’t you see ? I’m crying ! ” said Pinocchio 
glancing up and drying his eyes with the sleeve 
of his jacket. 

“ Tell me,” said the Pigeon, “ do you know, 
among your friends, of a marionette by the name 
of Pinocchio ? ” 

“ Pinocchio ? — Why I’m Pinocchio ! ” said the 
marionette jumping up. 


86 


Pinocchio 


At this reply the Pigeon flew down to the 
ground. He was as large as a turkey. 

“ Then you must know a certain Gepetto ? ” he 
said to the marionette. 

“ Do I know him ! He is my poor father ! 
Has he sent any word to me ? Can you take me 
to him ? Is he still living ? Tell me, for pity’s 
sake ! Is he still living ? ” 

“ I left him three days ago on the seashore.” 

“ What was he doing there ? ” 

“He was making a canoe to cross the ocean. 
For four months now the poor man has been 
traveling around in search of you. And not 
finding you in this country he has decided to go 
across to foreign lands.” 

“ How far distant is this seashore ? ” asked Pin- 
occhio anxiously. 

“ A thousand miles away.” 

“ A thousand miles ! Oh, my Pigeon, if I only 
had wings to fly there ! ” 

“ If you want to go, I will carry you.” 

“ How?” 

“ On my back. Are you heavy ? ” 

“ No, indeed! I'm light as a feather.” 

And without waiting for a second invitation Pin- 
occhio jumped upon the Pigeon’s back, and put 
a leg on each side just like a horseman, calling 


Alone in the World 87 

out contentedly : “ Giddap ! little horse, I must 
get there in a hurry ! ” 

The Pigeon rose into the air and soon was 
touching the clouds. At this great height the 
marionette had the curiosity to look down ; but was 
at once seized with such fright and dizziness that 
he clung on for dear life around the bird’s neck. 

All day long they flew. Toward evening the 
Pigeon said : “lam very thirsty." 

“ And I am very hungry," said Pinocchio. 

“ Then let us stop for a few minutes at this 
pigeon-house,” said his steed ; “ and later we can 
start again. By to-morrow morning early we 
shall reach the seashore." 

They entered the deserted pigeon-house, but 
found nothing except a pan full of water and a 
basket of dried peas. In all his life the mario- 
nette had never learned to like peas ; the very 
thought of them had turned his stomach. But 
that night he ate so many of them he was ready 
to burst ; and when he had enough he turned to 
the Pigeon and said : 

“ I would never have believed that peas were 
so good ! " 

“ When there’s nothing else to eat, the meanest 
food is delicious," replied the Pigeon. " Hunger 
has no choice morsels." 


88 


Pinocchio 


Having eaten their hasty meal they resumed 
their journey. Away they went — all night long — 
and the next morning they arrived at the seacoast. 

The Pigeon set his passenger down upon the 
ground, and not caring for thanks or compli- 
ments flew quickly away. 

The beach was crowded with people who 
howled and waved and pointed toward the water. 

“ What has happened ? ” asked Pinocchio of an 
old woman. 

“ Why, a poor old man who lost his boy has 
gone out in a canoe to look for him. But the 
sea is so violent that the little boat is about to be 
swamped.” 

“ Where is the boat ? ” 

“ Over yonder,” said the old woman pointing 
to a tiny speck which at that distance looked no 
bigger than a nutshell. 

Pinocchio gazed at the boat with all his eyes, 
and presently gave a loud cry : 

“ It is my father ! It is my father ! ” 

As he spoke the little boat, tossed and beaten 
by the furious waves, went down between the 
high billows, and then bobbed up again. Pinoc- 
chio ran out upon a point of rock and called his 
father by name, at the same time waving with his 
hands and cap. 


Alone in the World 89 

And though Gepetto was so far away from 
land he recognized his son ; for he took off his 
own cap and waved it in return, as if to say 
that he would come back if the storm did not 
prevent. 

All at once a terrible wave struck the boat. 
Those on shore waited for it to come up again, 
but it was seen no more. 

“ Poor man ! ” said the fishers ; and mumbling 
a prayer they turned to leave the strand. 

Just then they heard a despairing cry, and 
turned to see a little boy throw himself from 
the cliff into the sea, crying, “ I will save my 
father ! ” 

Indeed, Pinocchio being of wood floated easily 
and swam like a fish. At times he went under, 
swept by the current, but again he appeared bat- 
tling the waves, until he had gone a long distance 
from the shore. At last he was so far away as 
to be lost to the sight of those on shore. 

“ Poor little boy ! ” said the fishers, and mum- 
bled a prayer for him also. Then as they could 
do nothing else, they went to their homes. 


9 o 


Pinocchio 


CHAPTER XXIV 

THE ISLE OF BUSY BEES 

S PURRED on by the hope of finding his 
father, Pinocchio swam all night long. 
And what a terrible night it was ! It 
rained, hailed, thundered, and lightened so that 
it seemed as bright as day. 

But early in the morning he saw a strip of land 
in the distance. It was an island in the middle 
of the sea. He redoubled his efforts to reach it, 
but all in vain. The waves ebbing and flowing 
formed billows so vast that he was tossed about 
like a chip. At last by good fortune there came 
a tremendous wave that lifted him bodily and 
threw him upon the beach. 

He struck the ground with such force that he 
nearly cracked his bones ; but he consoled him- 
self by saying : “ Well, I was lucky to get out 

alive.” 

Meanwhile, little by little, the sky cleared ; the 
sun shone in all its splendor ; and the sea became 
as smooth as oil. The marionette spread out his 
clothes upon the sand, and began to scan the sea 
far and near in the hope of finding in that iin- 


9 1 


The Isle of Busy Bees 

mense watery plain some trace of the little boat 
which carried his father. But all he saw was the 
sky and the sea, and a ship which looked no big- 
ger than a fly. 

“ I wonder what’s the name of this island ? ” he 
said to himself. “ I wonder if it has polite people 
in it, who do not hang boys to trees ? But how 
can I find out if I don’t see somebody to ask ? ” 

At this idea of being alone on a deserted island 
he felt so bad that he began to cry. Just then, 
however, he saw a large fish swimming along 
quietly not far away. Not knowing the fish’s 
name he called out in a loud voice : 

“ Hello, Mr. Fish, will you allow me a word 
with you? ” 

“ Two of them,” replied the Fish who was a 
Dolphin so polite that you could not find his 
equal in the sea. 

“ Will you please tell me if there is a town on 
this island where one can get something to eat, 
without running the risk of getting eaten?” 

“ Certainly,” replied the Dolphin ; “ there’s a 
village not far from here.” 

“ And what road will lead me there ? ” 

“ Take the road on the left-hand and follow 
your nose. You can’t miss it.” 

“ Tell me one thing more. You go up and 


9 2 


Pinocchio 


down the sea all the time, — have you chanced to 
meet a small boat with my father in it ? " 

“ Who is your father ? " 

“ He’s the best father in the world, and he has 
the worst son living." 

“ His boat must have sunk in the storm." 

“ And my father ? ” 

“ By this time the terrible Dog-Fish — the terror 
of all these waters — must have swallowed him." 

“ Is this Dog-Fish so very big ? " asked Pin- 
occhio, beginning to quake with fear. 

“ Big ? — I should say so ! " replied the Dolphin. 
u To give you some idea of it, I will tell you that 
he is bigger than a five-story house, and has a 
mouth so large that he can swallow an engine and 
train of cars at one gulp." 

“ Good gracious me ! " cried the marionette 
nervously ; and turning to the Dolphin he said 
hurriedly : " I guess I’d better be going. Good- 
bye, and many thanks for your kindness." 

Then he took the road pointed out, and went 
along it almost at a run. And every time he 
heard a noise, he looked behind him, for fear he 
might be followed by that terrible Dog-Fish who 
was bigger than a five-story house, and whose 
mouth was so large that it could hold an engine 
and train of cars. 


The Isle of Busy Bees 93 

After hurrying along the road for half an hour 
he came to a place called “ Busy Bee Land.” 
The streets were crowded with people who ran 
here and there, each busy with his own labors, 
and all having something to do. You couldn’t 
find an idler or a lazybones in the whole place. 

“ Humph ! ” sniffed Pinocchio, “ I’m afraid this 
is no place for me ! I was not born to work.” 

But meanwhile he was tormented by hunger, 
as he had not eaten anything for twenty-four 
hours — not even a dried pea. What was he to 
do ? There were only two ways to get food — 
either to beg for it or to work for it. He was 
ashamed to beg, for his father had told him that 
no one had a right to ask alms except old or in- 
firm people. 

At this moment a man passed along the road, 
perspiring and out of breath. He was tugging 
with all his might at two cart-loads of coal. Pin- 
occhio decided from his looks that he was a kind- 
hearted man, and went up and said in a low voice : 

“ Would you be good enough to give a penny 
to one who is starving ? ” 

“ Not one penny,” replied the coal- man ; “ but 
I’ll give you four if you’ll help me pull these carts 
as far as my house.” 

" What do you take me for ? ” replied the 


94 


Pinocchio 


marionette proudly ; “ I have never played the 
donkey or pulled a cart in my life.” 

“ The worse for you ! ” retorted the man. “ If 
you are really starving, my boy, just eat a couple 
of slices of your pride, and take care that it 
doesn’t give you indigestion.” 

The coal-man went on ; and after a few min- 
utes another man came by who was a mason, for 
he carried a basket of lime on his shoulder. 

“ Kind sir,” said Pinocchio, “ would you be 
good enough to give a penny to a poor boy who 
is starving ? ” 

“ Certainly,” replied the mason ; “ come along 
with me and help carry this lime, and I’ll give 
you five pennies instead of one.” 

“ But the lime is heavy,” replied Pinocchio ; 
“ and I don’t want to tire myself out.” 

“ If you don’t want to get tired, my boy, just 
amuse yourself by yawning for food, — and much 
good may it do you ! ” 

And he too went on. 

In less than half an hour twenty other people 
came by, and to each of them Pinocchio told his 
tale of woe; but all answered: 

“ Shame on you ! Instead of looking for work 
to earn an honest living, you go along the road 
begging like a vagabond ! ” 


The Isle of Busy Bees 95 

At last a woman came along carrying two 
pitchers of water. 

“ Will you please give me a drink of water, 
good woman ? ” pleaded Pinocchio who was 
parched with thirst. 

“ Certainly, my boy,” said the woman setting 
the pitchers on the ground. 

Pinocchio took in water like a sponge; then wip- 
ing his mouth he said in a low voice : 

“ If I could only eat as much as I have drunk ! ’’ 

On hearing this, the woman said : “ If you will 
carry one of these pitchers home for me I will 
give you a thick slice of bread.” 

Pinocchio looked at the pitcher but didn’t say 
“ yes” or “ no.” 

“ And perhaps I’ll give you some meat to eat 
with the bread,” suggested the woman. 

Pinocchio looked at the pitcher again, but still 
didn’t say “ yes ” or “ no.” 

“ And perhaps there’ll be a sweetmeat to top 
off with,” said the woman. 

This was too much to resist, and Pinocchio 
said : “ Why, of course I’ll carry the pitcher for 
you ! ” 

But he found it very heavy ; and not being able 
to manage it with his hands, he placed it on top 
of his head. 


Pinocchio 


96 

When they reached the cottage the woman 
seated Pinocchio at a little table already set, and 
placed plenty of bread and meat and sugar-plums 
before him. 

Pinocchio did not eat ; he stuffed. His stom- 
ach seemed a cavern which had been hollow for 
five months. Then having satisfied his hunger by 
degrees he lifted his head in order to thank his 
benefactress. He did not more than look at her, 
however, when he uttered a long cry of surprise. 
Then he sat silent with amazement, his eyes bulg- 
ing out, his fork in air, and his mouth full of food. 

“ What’s the matter ? ” asked the woman laugh- 
ing. 

“ It’s you, it’s you ! ” stammered Pinocchio. 
“ Yes, you look like her ! yes, and you have eyes 
like hers — and hair — yes, yes, yes, that’s blue ! 
Oh, my Fairy, isn’t it really you ? Don’t make 
me cry any more ! Oh, if you only knew how I 
have suffered, how I have cried ! If you only 
knew ! ” 

And with this outburst, Pinocchio weeping 
bitterly threw himself on his knees and clasped 
his arms around the mysterious woman. 


The Fairy With the Blue Hair 97 


CHAPTER XXV 

THE FAIRY WITH THE BLUE HAIR AGAIN 

A T first the good woman pretended that 
she was not the Fairy with the Blue 
Hair. But seeing that she was discov- 
ered, and not wishing to prolong the comedy, she 
confessed, saying : 

“ You little rascal ! How did you know that it 
was I ? ” 

" Because I love you so much. That is what 
told me.” 

“ You remember me, and yet you forgot all I 
told you. You have been gone so long that now 
I’m old enough to be your mother.” 

“ And I should like to call you my mother. 
For such a long time I have wanted a mother 
just like other boys. But how did you grow up 
so quickly? ” 

“ That is a secret.” 

“ Then tell it to me, for I want to grow up too.” 
“ But you can’t grow,” replied the Fairy. 

“ Why not ? ” 

“ Because marionettes never grow. They are 


Pinocchio 


98 

born marionettes, they live marionettes, and they 
die marionettes.” 

“ Oh, I’m so tired of being nothing but a mar- 
ionette ! ” cried Pinocchio hitting himself on the 
head. “ I want to grow up to be a many 

“ Maybe you will become a man if you deserve 
to be.” 

“ Really? And what do I have to do to de- 
serve it ? ” 

“ A very easy thing. Learn to be a good lit- 
tle boy.” 

“ Am I not a good boy now ? ” 

“ Not at all ! Good boys are obedient ” 

“ And I never mind anybody.” 

“ Good boys like to study and work ” 

“ And I like to play and run around all the 
time.” 

“ Good boys always tell the truth ” 

“ And I don’t always.” 

“ Good boys like to go to school ” 

“ And I have always thought school a dreadful 
place. But after this I shall do better.” 

“ You promise me ? ” 

“ I promise you. I want to be a good boy 
and help my father. — But where is my father 

now ? ” 

“ I cannot say.” 


The Fairy With the Blue Hair 99 

" Will I see him again ? ” 

“ I think so.” 

At this reply Pinocchio felt so happy that he 
seized the Fairy’s hands and kissed them. 

“ Oh, I will be good ! ” he said. “ And won’t 
you be my mother ? ” 

“ Yes, if you will always obey me.” 

“ Willingly, willingly, willingly ! ” 

“ Then to-morrow you shall start to school,” 
said the Fairy. 

Pinocchio did not seem quite so glad. 

“ After that you shall choose a trade or pro- 
fession.” 

Pinocchio grew very solemn. 

“ What are you muttering to yourself? ” asked 
the Fairy sharply. 

“ I was saying — that — that isn’t it too late for 
me to go to school ? ” 

“ No sir ! It is never too late to learn.” 

“ But I don’t care about any trade or pro- 
fession.” 

“ Why not ? ” 

“ Because it makes me tired to work.” 

“ My boy,” said the Fairy, “ those who talk 
that way always end in jail or in the poorhouse. 
Every man, rich or poor, must do something. 
Woe to the lazy man ! Laziness is an evil disease 

* 

» » * 


loo 


Pinocchio 


which you must not let seize you in childhood, 
for when you grow up it cannot be cured." 

These words touched Pinocchio’s better nature, 
and raising his head quickly he said to the 
Fairy : “ I will study, I will work, and do what 

you tell me. I’m tired of being a marionette 
and want to be a real boy. Didn’t you promise 
that I should be one ? ” 

“ Yes, I promised it. Now all depends upon 
you." 


CHAPTER XXVI 

PINOCCHIO GOES TO SCHOOL 

T HE next day Pinocchio started to 
school. Just imagine how those mis- 
chievous boys behaved when they saw 
a marionette in their classes ! They laughed out 
loud. One boy played one trick, another played 
another. One grabbed his hat out of his hands. 
Another pulled his coat. Another tried to mark 
his face with ink. And one even tied strings to 
his arms and legs to try to make him dance. 

For a little while Pinocchio endured this ; but 
at last he lost his patience and said to his tor- 


Pinocchio Goes to School 


101 


mentors : “ Take care ! I have not come here 

to be made sport of. I respect others, and they 
must respect me.” 

“ Hooray for the clown ! He talks like a 
book ! ” shouted the little monkeys in great 
glee ; and the rudest of them tried to catch hold 
of Pinocchio’s nose. 

But he wasn't quick enough. The marionette 
suddenly put his foot under the desk and gave 
him a hard kick on the shins. 

“ Ouch ! what hard feet ! ” howled the boy, 
rubbing the bruised place. 

“ And what elbows ! They’re like iron,” said 
another who, for his tricks, had got a good blow 
in the ribs. 

Indeed, after a few such blows and kicks, 
Pinocchio rose in the esteem of the whole 
school ; and they ended by making a great 
favorite of him. 

The teacher praised him for being so 
studious. He was the first to reach school 
in the morning, and the last to leave at night. 
The only fault to find was that Pinocchio had 
too many friends, among whom were several 
who did not like to study. The teacher warned 
him against these boys, and the good Fairy also 
advised against them, saying : 


102 


Pinocchio 


“ Be careful, Pinocchio. These bad com- 
panions will, sooner or later, make you lose your 
love of books, and may even bring some mis- 
fortune upon you.” 

“ No danger of that,” boasted the marionette, 
shrugging his shoulders and tapping his forehead 
as if to say, “ Too much sense here ! ” 

Now it happened, one fine day, while he was 
going to school he met a group of his friends, 
who said to him, “ Have you heard the great 
news ?” 

“ No ; what news ? ” 

“ Why, on the shore near here is a Dog-Fish 
as big as a mountain.” 

“ Really ? I wonder if it’s the same Dog-Fish 
that swallowed my poor father? ” 

“ We are going to the beach to look at him. 
Don’t you want to come along ? ” 

“ Not I. I am going to school.” 

“What good is school, anyway? You can 
go there to-morrow. One lesson more or less 
doesn’t make any difference.” 

“ But what will the teacher say ? ” 

“ Let the teacher spout. That’s what he’s paid 
to do.” 

“ But my mother ? ” 

“ Your mother won’t know anything about it.” 


Pinocchio Goes to School 


10 3 

“ I know what to do/’ said Pinocchio. “ I am 
very anxious to see the Dog-Fish, but I can wait 
and go after school.” 

“ Nonsense ! ” said the boys. “ Do you think 
that a big fish this size is going to wait all day 
for you? As soon as he gets tired, he’ll go 
away some place else, and then your chance will 
be gone.” 

" How long would it take to go there? ” asked 
Pinocchio. 

“ An hour and a half will take us there and 
back again.” 

“ Then come on — and the first there is the 
best man,” cried Pinocchio. 

At this, away they all went, with their books 
under their arms ! But Pinocchio, always in the 
lead, seemed to have wings on his feet. From 
time to time he would look back and make fun 
of his companions because they could not keep 
up with him. Seeing them running along pant- 
ing, blowing and covered with dust he laughed 
aloud. The unlucky boy did not know what 
calamity he was running into so gaily. 


104 


Pinocchio 


CHAPTER XXVII 
A FREE-FOR-ALL FIGHT 
S soon as he reached the seashore 



Pinocchio began to look all around 


JL JL. over the water ; but he saw nothing of 
the Dog-Fish. The sea was as smooth as glass. 

“ Where is the Dog-Fish ? ” he asked turning 
to his comrades. 

“ He has gone for his breakfast,” replied one 
of them laughing. 

“ Or he may be taking a nap,” said another 
laughing still louder. 

From these foolish replies and the laughter, 
Pinocchio soon saw that he was the victim of a 
practical joke ; and he said angrily : 

“ Where’s the fun ? What was the use of tell- 
ing me that yarn about a Dog-Fish ? ” 

“ Because we wanted you to miss a day at 
school. Aren’t you ashamed of being such a 
goody-good and studying your lessons every 
day ? Aren’t you ashamed of yourself? ” 

“And if I study, what difference does it make 
to you?” 


A Free-For-All Fight 105 

" It makes a big difference, because you 
make the rest of us cut a sorry figure with the 
teacher.” 

“ What do you want me to do, then ? ” 

“ You must join us against our three greatest 
enemies — school, lessons, and teacher.” 

“ But what if I prefer to study ? ” 

“ We will have nothing more to do with you, 
and besides we’ll make you pay for it, the first 
chance we get.” 

" Pshaw ! You make me laugh,” said the 
marionette shaking his head. 

“ Look out, Pinocchio ! Don’t you try to 
bully us ! ” cried the largest of the boys, shaking 
his fist. “ Don’t you come the high-and-mighty 
over us, either. We don’t stand for it ! We are 
not afraid of you. Recollect, we are seven 
against one.” 

“ Seven dead ones ! ” mocked Pinocchio. 

“ Did you hear that ? He has insulted us ! ” 
cried another. 

" Take that back, Pinocchio,” shouted a third, 
“ or we’ll make you suffer for it ! ” 

“ Cuckoo ! ” jeered Pinocchio. 

But just as he said this, the biggest boy hit 
him on the head. The marionette came back 
with a blow from his wooden fist which sent the 


106 Pinocchio 

bully staggering ; but the other boys closed in 
and the fight became general. ‘ 

Pinocchio although alone defended himself 
like a hero. His feet being of the hardest wood 
served to keep his foes at a proper distance. 
Wherever he could land with a strong kick, the 
boy struck went away howling with a black-and- 
blue spot. 

When the boys found that they couldn’t get at 
him for a hand-to-hand fight, they became angry 
in earnest and began to look around for some- 
thing to throw. As there was nothing but 
sand, they seized their school-books and started 
to hurl these at the marionette. He was too 
quick for them, however, and ducked his head so 
that the books fell into the sea. 

Just fancy how surprised the fishes were! 
They thought the books were something to eat, 
and at once rose to bite them. But one taste of 
the front pages and pictures was enough. They 
made wry faces as much as to say, “ None of that 
stuff for us ! We are used to better fare.” 

Meanwhile the fight grew hotter and hotter, 
until a large Crab, who had crawled out of the 
water and was slowly walking up the beach, 
cried out with a voice like a husky trombone: 

“ Stop that brawling, you rascals ! Stop it 


A Free-For-All Fight 107 

at once, I say, or something bad is likely to hap- 
pen ! ” 

The well-meaning Crab might as well have 
talked to the wind. Pinocchio turned upon him 
and said in a surly tone : 

“ Mind your business, ugly Crab ! You’d bet- 
ter eat some seaweed for that husky voice of 
yours. Go home and go to bed ! ” 

Just then the boys, having thrown all their own 
books away, happened to see at a little distance 
the bundle of books belonging to the marionette, 
and laid hands on them in less time than it takes 
to tell it. Among these books was a good-sized 
volume, bound in heavy covers, an Arithmetic. 
I leave you to guess how heavy it must have 
been ! 

One of the little ruffians seized this book and 
threw it with all his might at Pinocchio. But in- 
stead of hitting him it struck one of the other 
boys on the head. The boy fell to the ground, 
white as a sheet, and could only murmur : 

“ Oh, my mamma ! Help me, for I am killed ! ” 

Then he lay motionless on the sand. 

At sight of this dreadful accident, the other 
boys took to their heels, and in a few minutes 
were out of sight. But Pinocchio remained. 
Although scared half out of his wits, he ran to 


io8 


Pinocchio 


wet his handkerchief in the sea, and with it be- 
gan to bathe the temples of his poor schoolmate, 
all the time weeping bitterly, calling him by name, 
and begging him to open his eyes and speak to 
him. 

While Pinocchio continued to lament and to 
try to revive his companion, he heard the sound 
of footsteps. Looking up he saw two policemen 
approaching. 

“ What are you doing here ? ” they asked. 

“ Trying to help a schoolmate." 

“ Is he hurt ? ” 

“ It seems so." 

“ I should say so ! " said one stooping over the 
injured boy. “ He has been struck in the head. 
Who did it?" 

“ Not I," stammered the marionette, hardly 
able to breathe. 

“ If you didn’t do it, then who did ?" 

“ Not I," repeated Pinocchio. 

“ And what was it that struck him? " 

“ It was this book," answered Pinocchio, pick- 
ing up the heavy Arithmetic. 

“ Whose book is it ? " 

“ Mine.” 

“ That settles it ; nobody else could have done 
it. Get up at once and come with us." 


109 


A Free-For-All Fight 

“ But I V 

“ Come with us.” 

" But I am innocent.” 

“ Come with us.” 

Before starting, the officers hailed some fish- 
ermen who were passing not far away in a boat, 
and said to them, “ We will entrust this lit- 
tle wounded boy to your care. Take him home 
and look after him. To-morrow we will call 
again.” 

Then turning to Pinocchio and placing him 
between them, they commanded in military tones : 
" Forward, march ! And make haste, or it will 
be the worse for you ! ” 

The marionette did not wait for a second bid- 
ding, but started at once with them along the 
road which led to the town. But the poor fel- 
low was so confused he didn’t know where he 
was going. It all seemed like a dream — and such 
an ugly dream! He was nearly crazy. His 
eyes saw double. His legs trembled. His tongue 
stuck to the roof of his mouth, and he couldn’t 
utter a single word. And yet in the midst of his 
stupefaction, a thorn seemed to pierce him to the 
heart. It was the thought of passing by the good 
Fairy’s house and being seen by her as a culprit 
guarded by policemen. He would far rather die. 


no 


Pinocchio 


By this time they had reached the edge of the 
town, and were entering it when a sudden gust of 
wind blew Pinocchio’s hat off and carried it back 
along the road they had just traversed. 

“Will you please let me go after my hat ? ” 
asked Pinocchio of his guards. 

“ Go ahead ; but be quick about it.” 

The marionette ran back and recovered his 
hat; but instead of putting it on his head, he 
placed it between his teeth and began to run with 
all his might toward the sea. He flew like he 
was shot out of a gun. 

The policemen saw that it would be hard to 
catch him again, so they set a large Mastiff after 
him, a dog that had won first prize in all the 
races. Away went Pinocchio, and the Mastiff 
close after him. All the people flocked to win- 
dows and pavement, eager to see the finish of 
such an exciting race. But they were disap- 
pointed, for the Mastiff and Pinocchio kicked up 
such a cloud of dust that in a few minutes they 
were lost to view. 


CHAPTER XXVIII 


IN DIRE PERIL 

D URING that desperate race there was 
one terrible moment when Pinocchio 
thought himself lost. The Mastiff ran 
so fast that he all but caught him. The mario- 
nette could feel his hot breath upon his back and 
could hear his panting. But by good luck the 
beach was not far away and toward the water he 
plunged. 

With a great leap which saved him from the 
dog’s jaws he sprang into the sea. The Mastiff 
tried to stop on the edge, but carried forward by 
his impetus he fell in after him. The unlucky 
dog did not know how to swim, so he began to 
thrash about with his feet in order to keep afloat ; 
but the more he kicked the deeper went his head 
into the water. The first time he came up gasp- 
ing and strangling, he barked piteously : 

“ I’m drowning ! I’m drowning ! " 

“ Go ahead and drown,” replied Pinocchio at 
a distance, and seeing himself out of danger. 

“ Help me, dear Pinocchio ! ” wailed the Mas- 
tiff. “ Save me from death ! ” 


112 


Pinocchio 


At this pathetic appeal the marionette, who 
really had a kind heart, was moved to pity, and 
turning back to the dog he said, “ But if I save 
you, will you promise not to chase me again ? ” 

“ Yes, yes, I promise ! But hasten, or I shall 
go under in another moment ! ” 

Pinocchio hesitated — then remembering that 
his father had once told him that a good deed is 
never forgotten, he swam quickly to the drown- 
ing dog and seizing him by the tail, soon pulled 
him out safe and sound upon the beach. 

The poor dog could not stand upon his feet. 
He had swallowed so much salt water that he had 
swelled up like a balloon. However the mario- 
nette did not care to trust himself too much to 
the Mastiff, so thought it prudent to swim out 
again. 

As he swam away he shouted back : “ Good- 

bye, Mastiff! Luck to you and all your fam- 
ily ! " 

“ Good-bye, Pinocchio ! ” replied the dog. 
" A thousand thanks for saving my life. You 
have done me a great service and one I shall 
never forget. I hope I shall have the oppor- 
tunity to repay it some day.” 

Pinocchio swam on, keeping close to the shore, 
until at last it seemed a safe place for him to land. 


In Dire Peril 


n 3 

He looked at the strand and saw a sort of cave, 
out of which poured a cloud of smoke. 

“ There must be fire in that cave,” he said to 
himself; “and so much the better. I will go in 
and get dry and warm. Then whatever happens, 
I’m ready for it.” 

Having formed this plan, he drew near the 
rocks. But just as he was on the point of land- 
ing, he felt something beneath him in the water 
that rose and rose and rose, and lifted him with 
it into the air. He tried to escape, but it was 
too late. To his great astonishment he found 
himself caught in a huge net swarming with 
fishes of every form and size, all struggling like 
himself to get free. 

At this moment he saw emerging from the 
cave a fisherman so ugly that he looked like a 
sea-monster. Instead of hair he had bunches of 
green seaweed growing upon his head. Green 
was the skin of his body; green the color of his 
eyes ; green the hue of his tangled beard which 
fell below his knees. He looked just like a big 
lizard walking on its hind legs. 

As soon as the fisherman had drawn the net 
out of the water he said with much satisfaction : 

“ Ha, a fine catch ! To-day I shall have all 
the fish I can eat.” 


Pinocchio 


114 

“Thank goodness, I’m not a fish!” said Pin- 
occhio to himself, taking courage. 

The net full of fishes was carried back to the 
cave, which was gloomy and smoky. In the 
middle was a great pan full of frying oil which 
gave out such a rank odor that it almost choked 
the marionette. 

“ Now let’s see what sort of fish we have!” 
said the green fisherman. And thrusting his 
great flat hand which looked like a spade into 
the net he pulled out a handful of mullets. 

“ Fine fellows ! ” he said, feeling and smelling 
them eagerly. Then he threw them over into a 
tub of water. 

He did the same thing many times, taking 
handfuls of fish out of the net, feeling them, and 
throwing them into the tub. And all the time 
he was smacking his lips and saying to himself : 

“ What good whitefish ! What exquisite bass ! 
What delicious soles ! What choice crabs ! 
What excellent anchovy ! ” 

The last that was left in the net was Pinocchio. 
When the fisherman picked him up he rolled his 
green eyes in surprise and fear. 

“ What sort of a fish is this ? ” he shouted. 
“ I don't remember eating anything like this 
before.” 


In Dire Peril 


"5 

He looked him all over, turning him round and 
round, and then said, “ Now I see. It must be a 
crawfish.” 

Pinocchio was taken aback when he heard 
himself called a crawfish, and said sharply, “ Craw- 
fish yourself! Be careful how you handle me. 
You ought to know who I am. I am a mario- 
nette ” 

“ A marionette ? ” said the fisherman. “ That’s 
a new kind of fish to me, but so much the better ! 
I shall enjoy eating you all the more.” 

“ Eat me? Don’t you understand that I’m not 
a fish ? Don’t you see that I talk and think like 
you do ? ” 

“ True enough,” rejoined the fisherman ; “ and 
since you happen to be a fish that can talk and 
think like myself, I shall let you decide.” 

“ What do you mean ? ” 

“ As a special token of friendship, I shall let 
you choose which way you want to be cooked. 
Would you like to be fried in oil, or would you 
prefer to be stewed in a pan with tomato sauce ? ” 

“ To tell you the truth,” replied Pinocchio, “ if 
you give me my choice, I would rather be set 
free, so that I can go back home.” 

“ You are joking ! Do you think I would lose 
the chance to eat a fish as rare as you ? Such 


1 1 6 


Pinocchio 


luck doesn’t happen every day, to catch a mar- 
ionette in these waters. Leave it to me. I shall 
fry you in the pan with all the other fishes. That 
ought to suit you. It’s some consolation to have 
plenty of company when you are fried.” 

At this the unhappy Pinocchio began to weep 
and howl. 

“ Let me go ! ” he wailed. “ Oh, if I had only 
gone on to school, and not listened to the other 
boys ! Oh, oh, oh ! ” 

He wriggled and twisted like an eel trying to 
escape, until the green fisherman took a piece of 
cord, bound him hand and foot with it, and threw 
him into the tub with the rest. 

Then the man pulled out a box of flour, dipped 
each of the fish into it, and put them into the pan 
to fry. One after another they fell into the sizzling 
oil until at last it came the turn of Pinocchio. 

The marionette seeing himself so close to 
death — and what an awful death ! — was seized 
with such a panic and shook all over so that he 
didn’t have a bit of breath left to beg for mercy. 
The poor boy looked at his captor piteously. 
But the green fisherman, paying no heed to him, 
rolled him all over in the flour, so that he looked 
like a marionette made of chalk. 

Then he took him by the head and — 


Pinocchio Returns to the Fairy 117 


CHAPTER XXIX 

PINOCCHIO RETURNS TO THE FAIRY 

J UST as the fisherman was on the point of 
throwing Pinocchio into the pan, a large 
dog came into the cave, attracted by the 
odor of frying fish. 

“ Get out ! ” cried the man threateningly, and 
waving the marionette all covered with flour. 

But the dog was as hungry as four ordinary 
ones, and whined and wagged his tail as much 
as to say, “ Give me a taste of the fish and I will 
leave you in peace.” 

“ Get out, I say ! ” repeated the fisherman, and 
raised his foot to kick him. 

Now the dog was not one to be abused, espe- 
cially when hungry, so he only growled and 
showed his teeth. 

Just then a small hoarse voice was heard cry- 
ing, “ Save me, Mastiff! Save me, or I shall be 
fried alive ! ” 

The Mastiff— for it was he — at once recognized 
the voice of Pinocchio, and great was his surprise 
to find that the voice came from the little floury 
parcel in the fisher’s hand. 


Pinocchio 


118 

Then what did the dog do ? Why, he gave 
one jump from the floor, seized the floury parcel, 
and holding it gently between his teeth dashed 
out of the cave like a shot. 

The man was in a towering rage at being 
robbed of the fish which he so much desired to 
eat, and he ran after the dog. But it was a use- 
less race and he had to be content with the fish 
that were left. 

On ran the Mastiff until he came to the road 
to the village ; then he set his friend gently upon 
the ground. 

" How can I thank you enough ? ” said the 
marionette. 

“ You do not need to thank me,” replied the 
dog ; " for you saved me first. I am glad to be 
able to repay the debt. But if I had reached 
that cave a minute later ” 

“ Let’s not talk about it ! ” said Pinocchio 
shuddering. “ Br-r-r-r ! It gives me the chills 
even to think of what a narrow escape I 
had ! ” 

The Mastiff laughed and stretched out his paw 
to the marionette, who pressed it warmly in token 
of friendship. Then they parted company. The 
dog went home, and Pinocchio went along the 
road by himself until he reached a hamlet not far 


Pinocchio Returns to the Fairy lig 

away. There he saw an old man seated in an 
open doorway, and asked him : 

“ Can you tell me, sir, if you know anything 
about a little boy who was wounded by being 
struck on the head ? " 

44 The boy was carried to this hut by some 
fishermen, and now " 

“ Now he is dead ! ” interrupted Pinocchio in 
great grief. 

41 No, now he has recovered, and has returned 
to his own home." 

44 Truly, truly ? ” cried the marionette danc- 
ing with delight. 44 Then the wound was not 
serious? ” 

44 No, but it might easily have been, for he was 
hit upon the head with a heavy book." 

44 Who threw it ? ” 

44 One of his schoolmates — a certain Pin- 
occhio." 

44 Who is he ? ” 

44 They say that he’s a bad boy, a vagabond, a 
good-for-nothing." 

44 It is not true ! " cried the marionette hotly. 

44 Then you know this Pinocchio ? " 

44 Yes, by sight." 

44 What do you think of him ? " asked the old 
man. 


120 


Pinocchio 


“ To me he seems to be a pretty good fellow, 
fond of studying, obedient, affectionate ” 

While the marionette was making up this 
story he chanced to touch his nose, and found 
that it was growing longer. Then in a panic he 
commenced to cry : 

“ Don’t believe a word I’m telling you, good 
man ! I know Pinocchio very well indeed, and I 
can assure you that he is a good-for-nothing. 
He is lazy and disobedient, and instead of going 
to school, he gets into mischief with bad com- 
panions.” 

As soon as he had said these words, his nose 
shrank back to its usual size. 

“ And why are you so white?” the old man 
now asked. 

“ I’ll tell you. I happened to rub up against a 
wall which had just been painted,” replied the 
marionette, who was ashamed to admit that he 
came very near to being fried in a pan, as a 
fish. 

“ And your clothes — what has become of 
them ? ” 

“ I fell in with some thieves who stripped me. 
Please, sir, could you give me some sort of 
clothes, so that I can go back home ? ” 

“ Sorry, my boy, but I haven’t a thing except 


Pinocchio Returns to the Fairy 121 

an empty bean bag. If you want that, you’re 
welcome to it.” 

Pinocchio did not wait to be urged, but took 
the bag gladly, and after cutting holes in it for 
his arms, he put it on like a shirt. Lightly 
dressed in this fashion he started toward the town. 
But on the way he did not feel easy in his mind. 
He paused from time to time, saying to himself : 

“How shall I ever face the good Fairy ? What 
will she say when she sees me ? Will she pardon 
me a second time? Oh, I’m afraid she won’t! 
And it would serve me right, for I have not kept 
my promise to her.” 

By the time he reached the town it was night- 
fall. A storm came up and it rained very hard, 
so that he went straight on until he came to the 
Fairy’s house. But once there his courage failed 
him, and he went by without knocking. He 
came back to the door a second time, and again 
did not knock. Then he came back a third time 
and did not knock. The fourth time he took 
hold of the knocker tremblingly and let it fall 
with a light tap. 

He waited and waited, and after about half an 
hour a window on the top floor was thrown 
open, and Pinocchio saw a large Snail, which 
carried a light on its head, look out. 


122 


Pinocchio 


“ What do you want at this hour of the 
night ? ” said the Snail. 

“ Is the Fairy at home ? ” asked the marionette. 

" The Fairy is asleep and does not wish to be 
disturbed. Who are you ? ” 
x “ Just me ! ” 

“ Who is that ? ” 

“ Pinocchio.” 

“ Who is Pinocchio ? 

“ The marionette who lives in this house with 
the Fairy.” 

“ Ah, I see ! ” said the Snail ; “ wait a little 
and I will come right down.” 

“ Hurry, for pity’s sake, for I’m nearly frozen.” 

“ My boy, I’m a Snail, and Snails never 
hurry.” 

An hour passed by, then two hours, and the 
door remained shut. Then Pinocchio being cold 
and wet knocked again and louder. 

At this knock a window lower down was 
opened and the Snail looked out. 

“ Beautiful Snail,” called Pinocchio, “ I have 
waited two hours and it seems like a year. 
Please hurry, for pity’s sake.” 

“ My boy,” repeated the Snail, “ I’m a Snail, 
and Snails never hurry.” And the window was 
closed. 


Pinocchio Returns to the Fairy 123 

After a while it struck midnight ; then one 
o’clock ; then two o’clock, and still the door re- 
mained closed. Pinocchio lost patience and 
started to take the knocker for a resounding 
blow, when it turned into a live eel which slipped 
through his fingers and escaped in a pool of 
water which lay in the street. 

“ Ah, so ? ” cried Pinocchio with growing 
rage : “ if the knocker gets away I shall have to 
use my foot.” 

And drawing back a step he gave the panel a 
furious kick. The blow was so strong that his 
foot went clear through the wood. The mario- 
nette tried to pull it out again, but couldn’t suc- 
ceed. The foot had stuck as fast as if it were 
riveted in. And there poor Pinocchio had to 
stay the rest of the night, with one foot on the 
ground and the other in the air. 

In the morning early the door was at last 
opened. It had taken the good Snail just nine 
hours to come down the stairs and it was covered 
with perspiration. 

“ What are you doing with your foot stuck in 
the door ? ” the Snail asked laughing. 

“ I’m in hard luck. Please see, beautiful 
Snail, if you can get me out of this fix.” 

“ I’m afraid it will take a carpenter to do that.” 


124 


Pinocchio 


“ Ask the Fairy to help me.” 

“ The Fairy is asleep and does not wish to be 
disturbed.” 

“ But would you leave me like this all day ? ” 

“ You can amuse yourself by counting the 
ants that go by.” 

“ At least you might bring me something to 
eat. I’m starving.” 

“ Directly,” said the Snail. 

And after about three hours and a half 
Pinocchio saw it coming back carrying a silver 
dish. In the dish were a loaf of bread, a leg of 
chicken and four ripe apricots. 

“ Here is some breakfast sent you by the 
Fairy,” said the Snail. 

At sight of this feast the marionette began to 
feel better. But imagine his disgust, on begin- 
ning to eat, when he found that the bread was 
plaster, the chicken was cardboard, and the fruit 
was colored glass! He wanted to cry. He 
wanted to give up in despair. He wanted to 
throw everything away. But instead he felt 
such a gnawing in his stomach that he fainted 
away. 

When he recovered, he found himself lying 
upon a sofa, and the Fairy standing by him. 

" I will forgive you this one time more,” she 


Pinocchio Returns to the Fairy 125 

said, “ but woe to you if you ever do such things 
again ! ” 

Pinocchio promised faithfully that he would 
study and be good. And, in fact, he kept this 
promise for the rest of the year. He came out 
first in the school examinations and behaved so 
well generally that the Fairy was much pleased 
and said to him : 

“ To-morrow your wish shall be granted at 
last.” 

“ And that is ? ” 

“ That you shall cease being a marionette, and 
become a real live boy.” 

You could hardly imagine Pinocchio’s joy at 
this news so long desired. All his friends were 
to be invited upon the great day for a fine 
luncheon in the Fairy’s house, to celebrate the 
event. The Fairy gave orders for two hundred 
cups of coffee and four hundred little sand- 
wiches. The day promised to be a red letter 
one, but — 

Unfortunately in the life of a marionette there 
is always a but to spoil everything ! 


126 


Pinocchio 


CHAPTER XXX 
WHY THERE WAS NO PARTY 
F course Pinocchio was in a great hurry 



to go out and invite all his friends to 


the party. But when he asked the 


Fairy’s permission, she said : 

“ Yes, you may go, but be sure to return be- 
fore nightfall. Do you understand ? ” 

“ I promise to be back within an hour,” an- 
swered the marionette. 

“ Be careful, Pinocchio ! Boys are quick to 
make promises, but are sometimes slow about 
keeping them.” 

“ But I’m not like other boys. When I say a 
thing, I mean it.” 

“ We shall see. But if you disobey me, so 
much the worse for you.” 

“ Oh, I’ve learned my lesson. I’ll be good 
this time ! ” laughed Pinocchio as he ran out. 

In an hour nearly all of his friends had been 
invited. Some accepted at once ; others hung 
back a little, until they heard of all the good 
things to eat, when they ended by saying : “ I’ll 

be there sure ! ” 


Why There Was No Party 127 

Now you must know that Pinocchio had one 
schoolmate whom he liked very much. His real 
name was Romeo, but the boys had nicknamed 
him Lampwick because he had a dry, thin, 
straight little body just like the wick of a lamp. 
He was the laziest and most mischievous boy in 
the whole school, but Pinocchio was a great 
admirer of him. He went quickly to this boy's 
house to invite him to the luncheon, but didn't 
find him. He went a second time, and no 
Lampwick. He went a third time, but all in 
vain. He sought for him high and low, and at 
last found him hidden under the porch of a 
farmer’s house. 

“ What are you doing here ? ” asked Pin- 
occhio. 

“ I am waiting until midnight, so that I can 
go away." 

“ Where are you going ? ” 

“ Oh, a great way off." 

" I have been to your house three times to 
look for you." 

“ What did you want with me ? " 

“ Haven’t you heard of the good luck that has 
befallen me ? " 

“ What is it ? " 

“ To-morrow I shall cease to be a marionette, 


128 


Pinocchio 


and shall become a real boy just like you and 
the rest.” 

“ May it do you good ! ” 

“ To-morrow, therefore, I want you to come 
to a party at my house.” 

“ But I told you I was going away to- 
night.” 

“ At what hour ? ” 

“ Very shortly.” 

“ Where are you going ? ” 

“ I’m going to the most beautiful place in the 
world — a real paradise ! ” 

“ What is its name ? ” 

“ It is called ‘ Playtime Land.’ Maybe you’d 
like to go too ? ” 

“ I ? — no indeed ! ” 

“ That’s where you’re wrong, Pinocchio ! Take 
my word for it, you’ll never regret going. Where 
could you hope to find a better place for us boys ? 
There are no school, no teachers, no books. In 
that blessed land nobody ever studies. There is 
no school on Saturdays, you know, and every 
week has six Saturdays and one Sunday in 
it. Just think of it ! Vacation begins the first 
day of January and ends the last of December. 
That’s the country for me ! That’s the way all 
countries should be ! ” 


Why There Was No Party 129 

“ But how does one pass the time in ‘ Playtime 
Land ’ ? ” 

“ By playing and having a good time from 
morning till night. At night you go to bed, and 
the next morning you do the same thing all over 
again. How does that strike you ? ” 

“ Hum ! ” said Pinocchio, then nodded his head 
slowly as if to say, “ It is the sort of life I should 
like to lead.” 

“ Then will you come with me ? Yes or 
no?” 

“ No, no, not by any means. I have promised 
my Fairy to be a good boy, and I wish to keep 
my word. And now that the sun is setting 
I must go home at once. So good-bye and 
pleasant journey.” 

“ What’s your hurry ? ” 

“ My good Fairy wants me to be home before 
night.” 

“ Oh, wait two minutes, can’t you?” 

“ I shall be late.” 

“ Just two minutes.” 

“ And if the Fairy scolds me ? ” 

“ Let her scold. When she gets tired she will 
stop,” said the bad boy. 

“ How are you going — by yourself or with 
company ? ” 


13 ° 


Pinocchio 


“ By myself? Why, there’ll be at least a hun- 
dred boys ! ” 

“ Are you going on foot ? ” 

41 No, a carriage is coming after a while." 

" How I should like to see it ! ” 

“ Why?" 

“ Oh, because I want to watch you all start.” 

“ Wait here a little while and you’ll see it." 

“ No, no, I must return home." 

“ Just another two minutes." 

“ I’ve waited too long now. The Fairy will be 
alarmed about me." 

“ Poor Fairy ! Is she afraid the rats will eat 
you?" 

“ But tell me," said Pinocchio, “ are you sure 
that in this country there is no school ? " 

“ Not the shadow of one." 

" And no teachers ? ’’ 

“ Not one." 

“ And you are not obliged to study ? " 

“ Never, never, never ! ” 

“ What a delightful country ! " said Pinocchio, 
longingly. " I have never been there, yet I know 
just how nice it would be ! ’’ 

" Then why don’t you come along ? " 

“ It is useless to tempt me. I have promised the 
Fairy to be agood boy,andImustkeepmy word." 


Why There Was No Party 131 

“ Then good-bye, and give my regards to the 
other schoolboys.” 

“ Good-bye, Lampwick. A pleasant journey, 
and remember your friends sometimes.” 

With this, the marionette took two steps to- 
ward home ; then he stopped and turning 
asked : “ But are you perfectly sure that there 
are six Saturdays in the week and only one 
Sunday ? ” 

“ Perfectly sure.” 

“ And do you know for certain that vacation 
begins the first day of January and ends the last 
of December ? ” 

“ No doubt of it.” 

“ What a beautiful country ! ” said Pinocchio 
slowly. Then turning resolutely away he started 
off in a hurry saying : “ Good-bye sure enough, 
this time.” 

“ Good-bye.” 

“ Oh — how soon do you start ? ” 

“ Right away.” 

“ Pshaw ! If I were sure you’d start in an 
hour, I’d wait.” 

" And the Fairy? ” 

“Well, I’m late now anyway; and an hour 
more or less will not matter.” 

“ Poor Pinocchio ! What if she should scold ? ” 


i3 2 


Pinocchio 


“ Let her scold. When she gets tired she will 
stop.” 

Meanwhile it became quite dark ; and after 
a while they saw a little light moving far off down 
the road. It drew nearer and they heard the 
jingling of bells and the blowing of tiny trumpets 
so far away they sounded like mosquitoes. 

“ There they come ! ” exclaimed Lampwick, 
jumping up. 

“ Who ? ” asked Pinocchio in a low voice. 

“ It’s the carriage with the others. Now are 
you going ? Yes or no?” 

“ But is it really true that boys are not obliged 
to study there ? ” 

“ Never, never, never ! ” 

“ What a delightful country ! What a beauti- 
ful country ! ” 


CHAPTER XXXI 
IN PLAYTIME LAND 

A T last the carriage arrived ; and it drew up 
without making the least noise, for the 
wheels were wrapped with rags. It was 
drawn by twelve pairs of donkeys, all of the same 
size, but of different colors. Some were gray, 


In Playtime Land 133 

some were brown, and some were dappled. But 
the strangest thing about them was the fact that 
instead of having shoes made out of iron, like 
other beasts of burden, they wore leather shoes 
shaped just like yours or mine. 

And the driver ? Picture for yourselves a 
short, fat, round man shaped like a butter-ball, 
with an oily smile, a little mouth that was al- 
ways laughing, and a coaxing sort of voice just 
like that of a cat when he is asking for something 
to eat. Every boy who saw him liked him at 
once, and lost no time in scrambling into his car- 
riage. They wanted him to take them to that 
paradise marked on the geographies under the 
name of “ Playtime Land.” 

And so, on this occasion, the carriage was 
filled with boys eight to twelve years old, packed 
like sardines in a box. They were huddled in 
so tight that they could scarcely breathe, but no 
one said “ Ouch,” or made any complaint. The 
thought that in a few hours they would find 
themselves in a country where there were no 
books, nor schools, nor teachers, made them so 
happy that they could afford to overlook the pres- 
ent hardships, such as hunger, thirst, or lack of 
sleep. 

As soon as the carriage stopped, the driver 


Pinocchio 


134 

turned to Lampwick, smiled upon him, and said 
in a fawning voice : 

“ Tell me, my fine lad, do you wish to go with 
us to that happy land ? ” 

“ Indeed I do, sir ! ” 

“ But I must warn you, my child, that the car- 
riage is full — entirely full, as you can see.’ 1 

“ That's all right,” replied Lampwick. “ I’d 
just as soon sit up on the box with you.” 

And with a leap he mounted up to a place be- 
side the driver. 

“ And you, my dear,” said the driver beaming 
down blandly upon Pinocchio ; “ what will you 
do ? Will you come along, or remain behind ? ” 

“ Oh, I stay behind,” replied Pinocchio. “ I 
must go back home, and go to school, as all good 
boys do.” 

“ Much good may it do you ! ” 

“ Listen to me, Pinocchio,” said Lampwick. 
“ Better come with us and we will have a fine 
time.” 

“ No, no, no.” 

“ Come with us and we will have a fine time,” 
shouted all the other boys. 

" But if I go with you, what will the good 
Fairy say?” said the marionette who began to 
feel as if he were pulled along by the sleeve. 


In Playtime Land 13 J 

u Do not get such gloomy notions into your 
head. Think of the happy land we are going 
to, where we shall be our own masters and play 
around all day long." 

Pinocchio's only answer at first was a sigh — 
then another sigh — then a third sigh. Finally 
he said : “ Find a seat for me and I will 

come." 

“ All the seats are full," replied the driver, 
“ but I will gladly give up my seat on the box 
to you." 

“ And you ? " 

“ I will walk." 

“No, indeed, I can't allow that!" said Pin- 
occhio. “ I would like to ride upon the back of 
one of those donkeys." 

With this, he went up to one of the leaders 
and tried to mount it ; when the little beast gave 
him a sudden kick which landed him upon the 
ground. Of course the other boys burst out 
with rude and jeering laughter at this. But the 
driver did not laugh. He came softly up to the 
donkey and pretended to pet it, but really pinched 
its ear savagely. 

Meanwhile Pinocchio, very angry at finding 
himself upon the ground, gave another jump for 
the animal's back, and he jumped so well that 


Pinocchio 


136 

the boys quit laughing and began to shout 
“ Hurrah for Pinocchio ! ” at the same time clap- 
ping their hands. 

But just as they were ready to start, the 
donkey shot out its hind feet so suddenly that 
the marionette was hurled to the middle of the 
road and landed on a heap of gravel. Then the 
boys roared again. But the driver, instead of 
laughing, went softly up to the donkey and pre- 
tended to say something to it, while on the sly 
he pinched its other ear very cruelly. Then he 
said to the marionette : 

“ Now get on and don’t be afraid. The 
donkey had some notion in his head, but I have 
told him it is all right.” 

So Pinocchio mounted again, and this time 
they started on. But while the donkeys galloped 
ahead, the marionette fancied that he heard a 
low, scarcely audible voice say to him : 

“ Poor dunce ! You want to do as you please, 
but you will be sorry for it ! ” 

Pinocchio, somewhat scared, looked on every 
side to see whence came these warning words, 
but he could see no one. The donkeys galloped 
on, the carriage rolled, the boys had become 
quiet, Lampwick was nodding, and the driver 
hummed contentedly to himself. 


In Playtime Land 137 

They went another mile, and again Pinocchio 
heard the whispered voice, which said : 

“ Simpleton, bear this in mind ! The boys 
who give up study, throw away their books, 
won’t listen to their teachers, and do nothing but 
amuse themselves, always come to some bad end. 
I know what I am talking about ! I’ve been 
through it all. The day will come when you’ll 
cry your eyes out, but that will be too late ! ” 

At these faint words, the marionette was more 
alarmed than ever. He jumped off the donkey’s 
back and started to pat it upon the nose. Im- 
agine his surprise when he found the little steed 
in tears ; and he was crying just like a boy ! 

“ I say, Mr. Driver ! ” called Pinocchio ; “ do 
you know something strange ? This donkey is 
crying ! ” 

“ Let him cry. He will laugh when he gets 
some hay.” 

“ But who taught him how to talk ? ” 

“ He learned a few words from having been 
three years with a troupe of trained dogs.” 

“ Poor beast ! ” 

“ Come, come ! ” said the driver. “ We must 
not waste our time upon a donkey who is cry- 
ing. Remount your steed and let us go. The 
night is cool and the journey is long.” 


Pinocchio 


138 

Pinocchio did so. The carriage ran on, and 
by morning had reached the country with the 
delightful name of “ Playtime Land.” 

This country was like no other place in the 
world. The whole population was made up of 
boys. The oldest were only fourteen years old, 
the youngest were over eight. In the streets 
was a continual racket, a hooting and yelling 
that would drive you crazy. There were bands 
of urchins everywhere. Some played marbles or 
ball ; others rode velocipedes or wooden horses. 
Some played hide-and-seek ; others tag. Some 
went around dressed like clowns and tooting horns. 
Some sang, or made speeches, or walked on their 
hands, or laughed, or whistled. Others cackled 
like a hen that has just laid an egg. In a word, 
it was a regular pandemonium — such an uproar 
that you would want to stuff cotton in your ears. 

The moment that Pinocchio, Lampwick and 
all the other newcomers set foot in the city, they 
at once mingled with the motley throng, and in a 
few minutes had become friends with everybody. 
Who could be happier than they? It was 
glorious ! 

And thus, amid a continual good time and 
merrymaking, the hours, the days and the weeks 
sped by like lightning. 


139 


In Playtime Land 

“ Oh, what a beautiful life ! ” exclaimed Pin- 
occhio every time he happened to meet Lamp- 
wick. 

“ See — was I not right ? ” replied the other. 
“ And to think that you didn’t want to come ! 
You actually wanted to return to that Fairy of 
yours and waste your time studying ! If to-day 
you are freed from all books and school, you 
owe it to me, to my advice and urging. Only 
true friends can do such favors as this.” 

“ It is true, Lampwick. I have you to thank 
for it all. And yet my teacher was always say- 
ing : ‘ Do not have anything to do with that 
rascal, Lampwick ; he is a bad boy and will give 
you bad advice.’ ” 

“ Poor teacher ! ” replied the other wagging 
his head. “ I’m afraid I really did give him a 
good deal of trouble. But I forgive him ! ” 

“ Noble soul ! ” said Pinocchio embracing him. 

In this fashion five months slipped away. 
They spent the whole day in idleness and games, 
without once opening a book or seeing a school. 

Then came a morning when Pinocchio awoke 
to a very disagreeable surprise, which indeed put 
him in an unhappy frame of mind. 


140 


Pinocchio 


CHAPTER XXXII 
THE DONKEY FEVER 


W HAT had happened ? 

I will tell you, my dear little reader. 
The surprise which awaited Pinocchio 
on waking was this. He reached up to scratch 
his head, and found — now what do you suppose 
he found ? He found to his tremendous amaze- 
ment that he had ears longer than his hand, 
growing on each side of his head ! 

You will remember that when he was born he 
had such tiny ears nobody could see them. So 
just imagine his surprise now to find them grown 
so long during the night. He ran to look at him- 
self in a glass ; but finding none, he poured some 
water into a basin, and looking into it he saw 
something he did not like to see — his own face 
set off by a pair of fine donkey’s ears ! 

I leave you to picture the grief, shame and 
despair of poor Pinocchio. He began to cry 
and howl and beat his head against the wall. 
But his ears continued to grow and grow and to 
sprout hair along the edges. 

On hearing his loud screams, a Mouse who 


The Donkey Fever 141 

lived on the lower floor entered the room ; and 
seeing the marionette’s distress he asked kindly : 

“ What is the matter, neighbor ? " 

“ I’m sick, friend Mouse, very sick indeed, and 
it is a kind of malady which frightens me. Do 
you know anything about feeling a pulse ? ” 

“ A little/* 

“ Feel mine, then, and see if I have a fever." 

The Mouse felt Pinocchio’s pulse with one of 
his fore paws, and then said : 

" My friend, it grieves me to have to give you 
bad news." 

“ What is it ? " 

“ You have an ugly fever." 

“ What kind ? " 

“ The donkey fever.” 

“ I don’t know what kind that is," replied the 
marionette, who knew only too well. 

“ Then I will explain it. You must know that 
in two or three hours you will no longer be a 
marionette, nor a boy. You will turn into a 
donkey just like those others that pulled the 
carriage when you came here." 

“ Oh, poor me ! poor me ! " wailed Pinocchio, 
pulling at his ears with both hands, as if he 
would tear them out by the roots. 

“ My friend," said the Mouse consolingly, 


142 


Pinocchio 


u what are you doing? You ought to know it 
is a wise decree, that all lazy boys who dislike 
books, schools and teachers, and who do nothing 
but play all day long, must end sooner or later 
by turning into donkeys.” 

“ Is that really true ? ” asked the marionette 
sobbing. 

“ Too true ! Now it is too late to cry about 
it. You should have thought of this before.” 

“ But it wasn’t my fault ! Believe me, dear 
Mouse, it was all the fault of Lampwick.” 

“ Who is he ? ” 

“ A schoolmate of mine. I wanted to go back 
home, and be obedient, and study hard; but 
Lampwick said : * What’s the use ? Come along 
with me to Playtime Land, and you won’t have 
to study at all ; for there we shall have a good 
time and play around from morning till night.’ " 

“ And why did you follow the advice of your 
false friend ? ” 

“ Why ? Why, because, my friend Mouse, I 
haven’t a grain of sense ! Oh, if I had only 
stayed with the Fairy who loved me and did so 
much for me ! By this time I should be a real 
boy. Oh, just wait till I get at that Lamp- 
wick ! ” 

And he started toward the door. But when 


The Donkey Fever 143 

he got there he remembered about his donkey’s 
ears, and not wishing to display them in public 
he thought of a plan. He made a tall cotton 
cap and pulled it down on his head, well over his 
ears. 

Then he went out and began to look for 
Lampwick. He looked in the streets, in the 
square, in the theatre, everywhere, but couldn’t 
find him. He asked several people he met, but 
no one had seen him. Then he went to his 
house and knocked upon the door. 

44 Who’s there ? ” called out Lampwick. 

41 It is I," replied the marionette. 

44 Wait a moment and I’ll let you in.” 

After about half an hour the door was opened ; 
and Pinocchio was surprised to see that his friend 
also wore a huge cotton cap, which was pulled 
clear down to the tip of his nose. At sight of 
this cap, Pinocchio felt somewhat consoled, for 
he thought to himself : 44 Perhaps he has the 

same sort of complaint I have.” 

But he pretended not to see anything, and 
asked smiling : 44 How are you to-day, my dear 

Lampwick ? ” 

44 Fine ! — Like a mouse in a cheese-cake.” 

44 Do you mean it ? ” 

“ Why shouldn’t I?” 


*44 


Pinocchio 


“ Excuse me ; but why have you got that big 
cap pulled over your ears ? ” 

“ My doctor ordered me to wear it on ac- 
count of having stiff knees. But you, dear 
Pinocchio, why are you wearing one?” 

“ My doctor prescribed it because I stubbed 
my toe.” 

“ Oh, poor Pinocchio ! ” 

“ Oh, poor Lampwick ! ” 

Then they were both silent for a long while, 
and stood gazing at each other. At last the 
marionette said coaxingly to his friend : 

“ Relieve my curiosity, dear Lampwick. Have 
you ever suffered with your ears ? ” 

“Never! And you?” 

“ Never ! But since morning, I have felt some 
little trouble.” 

“ So have I.” 

“ Really ? In which ear ? ” 

“ Both of them. And you ? ” 

“ Both of them. Can it be the same disease ? ” 
“ I fear so.” 

“ Will you do me a favor, Lampwick ? ” 

“ Certainly.” 

“ Show me your ears.” 

“ No, indeed! But show me yours first, Pin- 
occhio.” 


The Donkey Fever 145 

“ No, indeed ! But I’ll tell you what let’s do. 
Let’s take off our caps at the same time.” 

“ All right. One, two, three ! ” 

And at the “ three,” both took off their caps 
and threw them away. 

And then something took place which would 
seem beyond belief if it weren’t true. As soon 
as Pinocchio and Lampwick saw that they had 
been smitten by the same disease, instead of feeling 
humiliated, they began to poke fun at the other’s 
enormous ears, until they finally burst out laugh- 
ing. They laughed and laughed and laughed 
until they could hardly stand up. 

All at once Lampwick ceased his laughter, be- 
came deadly pale, and called to his friend : 

“ Save me, save me, Pinocchio ! ” 

“ What’s the matter ? ” 

“ Oh, my ! I can’t stand up ! ” 

“ I can’t either ! ” cried Pinocchio weeping and 
trembling. 

And as they spoke they fell down upon all fours 
and began to run around the room. At the same 
time their arms turned into fore-legs, their faces 
grew long, and their bodies were covered with 
stiff grizzled hair. But the most horrible moment 
for each came when they felt a long tail swishing 
along behind them ! 


Pinccchio 


146 

Overcome by grief and shame they tried to be- 
moan their fate. But instead of human cries, 
they began to bray like donkeys, “ Hee-haw ! 
Hee-haw ! ” 

At this moment there came a knock at the 
door, and a voice was heard calling: 

“ Open the door ! I am your driver, — the one 
who drove the carriage that brought you here. 
Open at once, I say, or it will be the worse for 
you!” 


CHAPTER XXXIII 
A DONKEY’S FATE 

S EEING that the door did not open, the 
driver commenced to kick it violently un- 
til it burst open. Then he entered the 
room and said to Pinocchio and Lampwick, with 
his usual oily smile : 

“ Good boys ! You bray first rate. I recog- 
nized your voices at once, and so have come to 
take you away.” 

At these words the two little donkeys hung 
their heads and stood silent, with ears drooping 
and tails between their legs. 



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A Donkey’s Fate 

At first the driver patted them and soothed 
them ; then taking out a curry-comb he gave 
them a good currying. When he had done this 
so vigorously that they shone like two mirrors, 
he put a bridle on each of them and led them to 
the market-place, with a view to selling them at 
a good price. And, in fact, buyers were not long 
in coming. 

Lampwick was bought by a farmer whose 
donkey had died the day before from overwork ; 
while Pinocchio was sold to the manager of a 
company of clowns and ring performers, so that he 
could be trained to jump and dance with the 
other trick animals. 

And now, my little readers, do you know what 
trade that driver followed ? That smooth-faced 
villain went everywhere with his carriage; and 
whenever he found any lazy boys who hated 
books and schools, he cajoled them to come with 
him. And when he had filled his carriage he 
would take them to Playtime Land, where they 
spent all their time in idle fun. After these poor 
deluded boys had spent a certain length of time 
in this manner, they always turned into donkeys 
— just like Pinocchio and Lampwick — and then 
the driver took them and sold them. In this way 
he became a rich man. 


Pinocchio 


148 

What happened later to Lampwick I do not 
know. As for Pinocchio, he led a hard, weary 
life of it. When he was led to his new quarters, 
his master filled the manger with chopped straw ; 
but Pinocchio, after taking a mouthful of it, spat 
it out again. Then the master, growling, put 
down some hay ; but that didn’t suit, either. 

“ Oh ! you do not even like hay ? ” cried the 
master enraged. “ All right, my fine fellow, if 
you have such notions as this in your head, we’ll 
see if we can’t get them out ! ” 

And taking a whip he gave Pinocchio a sound 
cut across the legs. In great pain Pinocchio 
brayed aloud, and this is what he said : 

“ Hee-haw ! hee-haw ! I don’t like straw ! ” 

“ Then try hay,” replied his master, who un- 
derstood donkey talk very well. 

“ Hee-haw ! hee-haw ! Hay gives me the 
stomach-ache.” 

“ So you think, then, that a donkey ought to 
be fed on chicken and capon and jelly ? ” sneered 
the man, and gave him another cut with the whip. 

At this second blow, Pinocchio thought it wise 
to keep his mouth shut, so said no more. The 
man closed the stable door and went away. Pin- 
occhio was alone, and as he had eaten nothing 
for several hours, he began to yawn from hunger. 


A Donkey’s Fate 149 

When he yawned he opened his mouth so wide 
it looked like an oven. 

He began to hunt around, but finding no other 
food he resigned himself to nibbling a little of the 
hay; and having chewed a good mouthful, he 
shut his eyes and swallowed it. 

“ This hay isn’t so bad, after all,” he said to 
himself, and fell to eating it with a relish. 

The next morning on awakening he began to 
hunt for some more hay, but couldn't find any, 
as he had eaten it all during the night. So he 
took a mouthful of the chopped straw and tried 
that. He could not persuade himself it was as 
good as rice with cream, or macaroni with cheese ; 
but he managed to eat it, saying to himself, 
“ Hard luck ! ” 

“ Hard luck, nonsense ! ” called the master, 
who just then entered the stall. “ Do you think, 
my high and mighty, that I bought you just to 
watch you eat and drink? Not by a jugful ! I 
bought you to put you to work, so that you can 
earn a lot of money for me. So, out with you, 
my hearty ! Come with me to the sawdust ring, 
and I will teach you to jump through a hoop and 
to bow. After that you must learn to dance 
upon your hind-legs.” 

Poor Pinocchio had to do as the man said, and 


150 


Pinocchio 


learn a lot of tricks. It took him three months, 
and he got many a blow for his pains. 

But at last came the day when his master 
was ready to announce a truly wonderful show. 
Posters of many colors were put up on every 
street, and this is what they said : 


Grand Gala Performance ! 

Will Take Place To-Night 

Wonderful Jumps / Surprising Feats / 
By All the Artists of the Company 
And By All the Horses ! 

SPE CIA L 

There Will Be Pretented For the First Time 
The Famous Donkey 

PINOCCHIO 

Rightly Called 

THE DANCING STAR / 

The Theatre will be as bright as day . 


That night, as you may easily guess, an hour 
before the time for the show to begin, the theatre 
was crowded. The whole house swarmed with 
children of all ages, down to tiny tots, eager to 
see the dancing of the famous donkey, Pinocchio. 


A Donkey’s Fate 151 

After the end of the first part of the perform- 
ance, the manager, dressed in a long black 
coat, close-fitting white trousers, and leather rid- 
ing boots which reached to his knees, came be- 
fore the audience, made a low bow and began a 
grandiloquent speech sounding the praises of his 
wonderful donkey. 

“ This celebrated artist has already had the 
honor of dancing before all the crowned heads 
of Europe,” he ended. 

His speech was greeted with much laughter 
and applause, which was redoubled until it be- 
came like a hurricane when they saw Pinocchio 
come into the middle of the ring. He was 
dressed very gaily. He had a new bridle of 
shining leather with buckles of polished brass. 
Two white tassels hung from his ears. His mane 
was woven into many plaits, each tied with red 
silk. A broad band of gold and silver went 
round his body ; and his tail was interwoven with 
many-colored ribbons. In a word, he was the 
finest donkey ever ! 

The manager presented him to the audience 
with another flowery speech, telling how he had 
found a savage animal roving at large in the 
torrid zone ; how all his efforts to tame him had 
been of no avail ; and how at last he had discov- 


152 


Pinocchio 


ered a small bone in the animal’s head, which 
showed a fondness for dancing. So he had de- 
voted his efforts in that direction, with the happy 
result that here before them they had Pinocchio, 
the Dancing Star ! 

Then the manager made another low bow, and 
turning to the donkey, said : 

“ Now, Pinocchio ! Before beginning your 
tricks, pray salute this fine audience of gentle- 
men, and ladies, and children ! ” 

Pinocchio obediently knelt down upon the 
knees of his fore-legs, and remained kneeling 
until the manager, cracking his whip, cried out : 

“ Now march ! ” 

The donkey then stood up again and began 
to go around the ring, but always keeping step. 

“ Now trot ! ” commanded his master. And 
Pinocchio began to trot. 

“Now gallop!” And Pinocchio began to 
gallop. 

“ Now full speed ! ” And Pinocchio began to 
run as fast as he could. 

But while he was going like a Barbary horse, 
the manager raised his arm and fired a pistol. 
At this, the donkey, pretending to be wounded, 
fell sprawling in the ring and lay stiff as though 
really dead. 


!53 


A Donkey’s Fate 

Rising from the ground amid a burst of ap- 
plause which seemed to lift the roof, Pinocchio 
chanced to look upward — and there he saw a 
beautiful lady in the balcony, who had on a 
golden necklace, from which hung a locket ; and 
this locket contained the picture of a marionette ! 

“ That is my picture ! That lady is my 
Fairy ! ” cried Pinocchio to himself, recognizing 
her at once. And overcome with joy he tried 
to cry out, “ Oh, my Fairy ! Oh, my P'airy ! ” 

But instead of these words there came from 
his throat such a prolonged braying that it 
made all the spectators laugh, especially all the 
boys. 

Then the manager, in order to teach him bet- 
ter manners than to bray in public, gave him a 
cut of the whip on the end of his nose. The 
poor little donkey thrust out his tongue and 
licked his nose about five minutes, it hurt him 
so. But what was his despair, on looking up- 
ward a second time, when he saw that the bal- 
cony seat was empty and the Fairy had disap- 
peared. He felt as if he should die. His eyes 
filled with tears and he began to weep bitterly. 
No one seemed to notice it, not even the man- 
ager, who cracked his whip, crying : 

“ Try again, my good Pinocchio ! Now show 


154 


Pinocchio 


these ladies and gentlemen with what grace you 
can jump through these hoops.” 

Pinocchio tried two or three times ; but every 
time he came to a hoop, instead of jumping 
through it he ran underneath it. At last he 
jumped through ; but his hind-leg got caught in 
the hoop and he stumbled and fell to the ground. 
When he tried to get up he was lame, and they 
could hardly lead him to his stall. 

“ Bring out Pinocchio ! We want the donkey! 
Bring out the donkey ! ” shouted all the boys in 
the pit, who felt sorry that he was hurt. 

But the donkey could not appear any more 
that night. 

The next morning the veterinary — that is the 
doctor of animals — looked him over, and then 
said that he was lamed for life. So the manager 
said to the stable-boy : 

“ What use have we for a lame donkey ? He 
would be only another mouth to feed. Take 
him to the market-place and sell him.” 

The boy led him away limping, and when 
they reached the square they soon found a 
buyer who wanted to know the price. 

“ Four dollars,” answered the boy. 

“ I will give you twenty-five cents for him. Do 
not think that I can make any use of him ; I want 




The Terrible Dog-Fish 155 

only his skin. I see that it is very tough and I 
can make a good drum-head out of it.” 

Just imagine how delighted Pinocchio must 
have felt, when he heard that he was to be 
skinned for a drum-head ! 

The boy took the quarter, as that was the best 
price he could get, and the buyer led the don- 
key up on top of a cliff bordering the seacoast ; 
and having tied a stone to his neck, and fastened 
a rope to him, he held the other end of the rope 
and pushed the beast over the edge into the water. 

Pinocchio sank at once to the bottom, because 
of the stone. The man, holding one end of the 
rope, sat down and waited until the donkey 
should have time to drown. Then he proposed 
to pull him up and skin him. 


CHAPTER XXXIV 

THE TERRIBLE DOG-FISH 

A FTER the donkey had been under water 
for about five minutes, the man holding 
the rope said to himself : 

“ By this time the lame beast must be 
drowned. So let’s hoist him up and make a 
fine drum out of his hide.” 


Pinocchio 


156 

And he began to pull up the rope. He pulled 
and he pulled and he pulled, until at last he saw 
coming to the surface — what do you suppose? 
Instead of seeing a dead donkey, he saw a 
marionette very much alive and wriggling on the 
rope like an eel ! 

At sight of a wooden marionette the man 
thought that he must be dreaming. His mouth 
opened, and his eyes stuck out of his head from 
amazement. When he had recovered a little 
from his first shock, he asked stammering : 

“ What has become of that donkey I threw in 
the sea ? ” 

“ I’m the donkey," replied the marionette 
smiling. 

* You ! ” 

“ Yes, I." 

“ Rascal, don’t make fun of me ! ” 

“ But I’m not, my dear fellow. I am in dead 
earnest.’’ 

" Then how does it happen that you’ve turned 
into a marionette ? ” 

“ Perhaps it’s the effect of the salt water. The 
sea does queer things.” 

“ Be careful, marionette, be careful ! Do not 
think you can have fun at my expense. It will 
be the worse for you, if I lose my temper ! ” 


The Terrible Dog-Fish 157 

“ Well, then, do you want to know the truth? 
Untie me, and I’ll tell you." 

Curious to know the true story of this strange 
event, the buyer untied the rope which bound 
the marionette, and Pinocchio once more felt 
himself free as a bird. Then to keep his 
promise, he sat down and told the astonished 
man all that had lately happened to him, up to 
the time he became a lame donkey. 

“ Then you bought me, you know," he added. 

“ That’s true," nodded the man dolefully. 
“And to think I paid a quarter of a dollar for 
you ! Now who will give me my money back ? " 

“Why did you buy me? Just to make a 
drum-head out of me. A drum-head ! " 

“ I admit it — but where am I to find another 
skin?" 

“ Do not despair. There are plenty of 
donkeys left in the world ! " 

“ Humph ! Is that all there is to your 
story ? " 

“ No, there are a few words left," answered 
Pinocchio. “ After you bought me, you led me 
to this cliff to kill me, but being a very merciful 
man you decided to throw me over and let me 
drown. Much obliged for your kindness, I am 
sure ! For the rest, you would probably have 


1 58 Pinocchio 

succeeded in your plan, if it hadn’t been for the 
Fairy.” 

“ What Fairy is that ? ” 

“ My good Fairy with the Blue Hair, who has 
been like a mother to me. As soon as she saw 
that I was in danger of being drowned, she sent 
a great school of fishes who began to eat my 
donkey body. What mouthfuls they took! I 
shouldn’t have thought that fishes were greedier 
than boys ! When they had eaten all the flesh, 
they came to the bones — or rather to the wood. 
You must know that I am made out of very hard 
wood, and after the first bite, they found I was 
bad for their teeth ; so they swam away dis- 
gusted, without so much as saying, ‘ Thank you !’ 
Pretty soon you pulled me up, and here I am.” 

“ And do you expect me to believe such a 
yarn ? ” cried the man in a rage. “ All I know 
is that I spent twenty-five cents for you, and I 
want my money back. Do you know what I 
shall do ? I shall carry you back to the market- 
place and sell you for kindling-wood.” 

“ All right ; that suits me ! ” said Pinocchio. 
And as he spoke he jumped off the cliff into the 
sea, where swimming easily out from the shore 
he called back, “ Good-bye ! If you ever want 
another drum-head, don’t forget me ! ” 


The Terrible Dog-Fish 159 

Then he laughed and swam a little farther, and 
turned around and shouted still louder, “ Good- 
bye ! If you ever want some good kindling- 
wood, don’t forget me ! ” 

By this time he was so far away as to be only 
a little black spot on the surface of the water. 
Now and again he would throw his whole body 
out and jump and tumble like a playful dolphin. 
While he thus swam, he chanced to see far off a 
rock which looked like white marble ; and on the 
top of this rock stood a pretty little Goat, bleat- 
ing at him in a friendly way and making signs 
for him to come near. 

The most singular thing about this Goat was 
the fact that, instead of having a white, black, or 
mottled coat like other goats, it had blue hair — 
just like that of the beautiful Fairy ! 

I leave you to imagine how strongly Pinocchio’s 
heart beat as he drew near and saw this for him- 
self. Redoubling his efforts he swam toward the 
rock, and, indeed, was half-way there when he 
saw coming toward him out of the water the 
horrible head of a sea-monster. Its mouth was 
open like an immense cavern, and it had three 
rows of tusks which would frighten you merely 
to see a picture of them. 

It was the terrible Dog-Fish ! 


i6o 


Pinocchio 


At sight of this most dreaded monster of the 
sea, poor Pinocchio was almost dead from fright. 
He tried to dodge it and to swim away, but could 
make no headway against that immense open 
mouth which always pointed toward him, and 
came on with the speed of a hurricane. 

“ Make haste, Pinocchio, for pity’s sake ! ” 
bleated the pretty little Goat. 

Pinocchio splashed desperately with arms and 
chest and legs and feet. 

“ Oh, hurry, Pinocchio ! He’s gaining on you ! ” 

Pinocchio swam with all his might. 

“ Quick, quick ! ” called the Goat. " If you 
lose a moment, you are lost ! Hurry, hurry ! ” 

On came Pinocchio, and the monster right 
after him, racing together like musket-balls. As 
they neared the rock, the Goat came to the very 
edge and held out her two front feet to help him 
out of the water. 

But it was too late ! The monster was upon 
him, and drawing in its breath swallowed him as 
easily as if he had been an egg. So violently 
did he go down, that he fell into the stomach of 
the Dog-Fish with great force and lay stunned 
for a quarter of an hour. 

When he had recovered his senses a little he 
did not know where he was. It was very dark 


The Terrible Dog-Fish 161 

all around him — so dark that he felt like he had 
stuck his head into an ink-bottle. He listened 
intently, but could hear no sound. Once in a 
while he seemed to feel a gust of wind striking 
his face. At first he did not know where it came 
from, but afterward decided it must be from the 
monster's lungs. 

At first Pinocchio tried to pluck up a little 
courage; but when he became certain that he 
was shut up in the stomach of the sea-monster, 
he lost all hope and began to cry and scream for 
help at the top of his voice. 

“ Who’s there ? ” called a hoarse voice some 
distance off. 

“ Who are you ? ” replied Pinocchio nearly 
frozen with fear. 

"I am a poor Tunny-fish who was swallowed 
at the same time you were. What sort of a fish 
are you ? ” 

“ I am not a fish at all. I’m a marionette.” 

" Then if you aren't a fish, how did you come 
to be swallowed ? ” 

“I don’t know. I didn’t want to be! Now 
what are we going to do, down here in the 
dark ? ” 

“ We must resign ourselves to fate and wait 
until the monster has digested us.” 


162 Pinocchio 

“ But I don’t want to be digested ! ” howled 
Pinocchio. 

“ Neither do I. But I’d rather die this way 
than to be soaked in vinegar and oil like a sar- 
dine.” 

“ Nonsense ! ” said Pinocchio. 

“ That is my opinion at any rate,” replied the 
Tunny, “ and should be respected as such.” 

“ Very well — but I wish to get out of this — to 
escape, some way.” 

“ Escape if you can.” 

“ Is this Dog-Fish very long ? ” 

“ About a mile, I guess, without counting the 
tail.” 

While they were thus talking, Pinocchio 
thought he could see in the distance a flicker of 
light. 

“ I wonder what that light could be ? ” he said. 

“ Probably some companion in distress, who 
is also waiting to be digested.” 

“ I believe I will find out. It might be some 
old fish who could show us a way of escape.” 

“ Well, I wish you good luck.” 

" Good-bye, Tunny.” 

“ When shall we meet again ? ” 

“ Who knows ? It’s better not to think about 
it!” 


Gepetto in Strange Quarters 163 


CHAPTER XXXV 
GEPETTO IN STRANGE QUARTERS 
S soon as he had bidden the friendly 



Tunny good-bye, Pinocchio began to 


JL JL grope forward in the darkness. Trying 
to walk upright in the Dog-Fish’s body, he went 
on a step at a time in the direction of the little 
light which shone so far away. As he walked, 
he felt his feet splashing in a stream of greasy, 
slippery water which gave forth the odor of fried 
fish so strongly that he thought the monster must 
be keeping Lent. 

The further he went, the brighter grew the 
light. At last, step by step he reached it — and 
what do you suppose he found? You couldn't 
guess in a thousand times. He found a table 
ready set, and lighted by a candle stuck in a 
green glass bottle. And seated at the table was 
a little old man with a white beard, who was try- 
ing to make a meal out of some frisky minnows. 

On seeing this old man, Pinocchio was almost 
overcome with joy. He wanted to laugh; he 
wanted to cry ; he wanted to call to him, all at 
once. But instead he made a confused choked- 


Pinocchio 


164 

up sound in his throat. At last came a great 
cry of joy, and rushing to the old man he threw 
his arms around his neck sobbing out : 

“ Oh, father, father ! Have I found you at 
last? I shall never leave you again — never, 
never, never ! ” 

“ Do my eyes tell me the truth ? ” exclaimed 
the old man ; “ or is it really my dear Pin- 
occhio ? ” 

“It is! It is no one else! And you have 
already forgiven me, really, haven’t you ? Oh, 
father, how good you are! And to think that 
I have been so bad ! If you only knew the 
scrapes I have got into, since that day when you 
sold your coat to buy me a spelling-book ! ” 

Then Pinocchio told him very truthfully about 
all his adventures, which my little readers already 
know. And Gepetto, in his turn, told how his 
boat had been capsized that stormy day at sea. 

“ Then this terrible Dog-Fish came along and 
stuck out his tongue and swallowed me as easily 
as if I had been a bologna sausage,” Gepetto 
ended. 

“ How long have you been shut up in here ? ” 
asked Pinocchio. 

“ Almost two years. Two years, my Pin- 
occhio, but they seem like two centuries ! ” 









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GEPETTO IN STRANGE QUARTERS 






Gepetto in Strange Quarters 165 

“ But how have you managed to live ? Where 
did you get your candles ? And your matches ? ” 

“ I’ll tell you all about it. You must know 
that the same storm which wrecked my boat also 
swamped a trading ship. The sailors all saved 
themselves, but the ship sank to the bottom, 
where this greedy Dog-Fish swallowed the whole 
thing.” 

“ What ! You don’t mean to say that he 
swallowed it at one mouthful ! ” said Pinocchio 
in astonishment. 

“ Yes, at one mouthful. Only he did not 
fancy the mainmast which got wedged between 
his teeth like a toothpick. Fortunately for me, 
the ship was loaded not only with preserved 
meat in tin boxes, but also with biscuit, toasted 
bread, bottles of wine, dried grapes, cheese, 
coffee, sugar, candles, and matches. With all 
this godsend I have managed to live for two 
years, but to day I am at the end of my re- 
sources. There is nothing left of my store of 
food, and this candle which you see is the last 
of the stock.” 

“ And after it is gone ?” 

“ We shall be in the dark, my boy.” 

“ Then there’s no time to lose, father,” said 
Pinocchio. “ We must flee at once.” 


i66 


Pinocchio 


“ Flee ? Where ? ” 

“ We must make our escape from the mouth 
of the Dog-Fish, and throw ourselves in the sea.” 

“ You have a good idea, my dear Pinocchio, 
but I do not know how to swim.” 

“ What difference does that make? You can 
get on my back, for I am a good swimmer, and 
I will carry you safe and sound to shore.” 

“ You are dreaming, my boy ! ” replied Gepetto 
shaking his head sadly. “ Do you think it pos- 
sible for a marionette half as big as I am to 
swim and carry me on his shoulders ? ” 

“Try me and see ! In any event, if it is fated 
that we must die, we shall have the consolation 
of dying together.” 

And without further parley, Pinocchio picked 
up the candle and started on in advance saying, 
“ Follow me and don’t be afraid.” 

They managed to go a good distance, travers- 
ing the entire length of the Dog-Fish’s stomach. 
But when they came to the place where the 
great throat began, they stopped and began to 
think over the best plan for getting out. 

Now you must know that the Dog-Fish, being 
very old, was afflicted with poor lungs and a 
weak heart, so he had to sleep with his mouth 
open. For this reason, Pinocchio looking up 


Gepetto in Strange Quarters 167 

through the long gullet could see right out of 
the enormous mouth and catch a glimpse of the 
starry sky and beautiful moonlight. 

“Now is our time!” he whispered to his fa- 
ther. “ The Dog-Fish is sleeping like a dor- 
mouse, the sea is calm, and it is as bright as day. 
After me, father, and we shall soon be safe.” 

So at once they climbed up the gullet of the 
monster, reached the base of the immense mouth, 
and began to tiptoe softly over the tongue — a 
tongue so wide and long that it seemed like the 
court of a garden. But just as they were about 
to give a great leap into the sea, the Dog-Fish 
sneezed so violently that they were hurled back- 
ward and fell clear to the bottom of his stomach. 
So swiftly had they come that their candle was 
blown out and they were left in utter darkness. 

“ What next ? ” asked Pinocchio growing se- 
rious. 

“ This time we are indeed lost,” his father re- 
plied in despair. 

“ Not yet ! Take my hand, father, and be 
careful not t <5 slip.” 

“ Where will you lead me ? ” 

“ We must try again. Come with me and have 
no fear.” 

Again they set out, Pinocchio leading Gepetto, 


1 68 


Pinocchio 


and climbed laboredly up the stomach and 
through the windpipe. Then they went the 
length of the tongue and climbed over the three 
rows of cruel teeth. Before making the great 
leap into the sea, the marionette said to his father : 

“ Now get upon my back, clasp your arms 
tightly round my neck, and leave the rest to me.” 

Gepetto did so, and the brave Pinocchio threw 
himself boldly into the water and began to swim. 
The sea was as smooth as oil. The moon shone 
in all her glory ; and the Dog-Fish slumbered so 
soundly that not even a cannon would have 
awakened him. 


CHAPTER XXXVI 

SOME OLD ACQUAINTANCES 

W HILE Pinocchio swam as fast as he 
could to reach the shore, he noticed 
that his father, who sat astride his 
shoulders with his feet in the water, was trembling 
as though he had the fever. Was he quaking 
from cold or from fright ? Who could say ? Per- 
haps it was partly from both. But Pinocchio, 
thinking that he was afraid, tried to reassure him. 


Some Old Acquaintances 169 

“ Courage, father," he said. “ In a few minutes 
we shall be safe on shore.” 

“ But where is that blessed land ? ” asked the 
old man, becoming still more alarmed and search- 
ing with his eye far and near. “ I can see noth- 
ing in any direction except sea and sky.” 

“ But I can see a beach,” said the marionette. 
“ You know I’m like a cat. I can see as well by 
night as by day.” 

Poor Pinocchio ! He pretended to be full of 
hope ; but on the contrary he was beginning to 
give up. His strength was ebbing away, and his 
breathing grew more difficult. In fact he was 
almost exhausted, and the shore was still far away. 

But he swam on until he was entirely winded ; 
then he turned to Gepetto and said in a faint 
voice : 

“ Help me, father, or I shall drown ! ” 

Both father and son began to sink, when sud- 
denly they heard a hoarse voice saying : 

“ Who is going to drown ? ” 

“ My poor father and I,” gasped the mario- 
nette. 

“ I recognize that voice. You are Pinocchio ! " 

" Yes. And you ? ” 

“ I am the Tunny who was your fellow prisoner 
in the Dog-Fish.” 


Pinocchio 


170 

“ How did you escape ? ” 

“ I followed your lead. You showed me the 
way, and after you escaped I did also.” 

“ You are just in time, Tunny ! I pray you, 
for the love you bear your Tunny children, to 
help us, or we are lost ! ” 

“ Gladly ! J ust hang on to my tail, both of 
you, and let me pull you along. In four minutes 
I will tow you ashore.” 

As you can well guess, Gepetto and Pinocchio 
lost no time in accepting this offer. But instead 
of holding on to the tail they thought it would 
be safer to sit down on the back of the Tunny. 

“ Are we too heavy ? ” asked Pinocchio. 

“ Heavy ? Not at all ! You feel like a couple 
of sea-shells on my back,” replied the polite 
Tunny, which was large and strong, being about 
the size of a two-year-old calf. 

When they reached the shore, Pinocchio 
jumped down and helped his father to land. 
Then he turned to the Tunny and said in a voice 
which trembled with emotion : 

“ My friend, you have saved my father. 
Words cannot express my gratitude to you. Al- 
low me to give you a kiss, as a sign of eternal 
friendship.” 

The Tunny thrust his nose out of the water, 


Some Old Acquaintances 171 

and Pinocchio kneeling down gave him a very 
affectionate kiss. At this token of tender regard, 
the poor Tunny, who was not used to such things, 
felt so moved that he began to cry like a baby, 
and quickly swam away to hide his tears. 

Meanwhile day had come. Pinocchio offered 
his arm to Gepetto who had barely enough 
strength left to stand up, and said to him : 

“ Lean upon me, father. We will walk ahead 
very slowly, and when we are tired we can rest 
by the way." 

“ But where can we go ? ” asked Gepetto. 

“ In search of some house where, for charity's 
sake, they will give us a crust of bread to eat and 
a bunch of straw to lie upon.” 

They had not gone a hundred paces when they 
saw by the roadside two ugly looking fellows ask- 
ing alms. They were the Fox and the Cat, but 
they had changed so you would hardly have 
known them. The Cat, who once pretended to 
be blind, had now really become so. The Fox 
had grown old and was lame, and had lost his 
tail. The miserable thief had sunk into such 
depths of poverty that he was at last forced to 
sell his tail to a peddler, to be used for a brush. 

“ Oh, Pinocchio ! ” cried the Fox in a whining 
voice. “ Give a little aid to two poor wretches ! ” 


1 7 2 


Pinocchio 


“ Two poor wretches ! ” repeated the Cat. 

“ Good-bye, cheats," said the marionette. 
“ You tricked me once, but you can’t catch me 
again." 

“ Believe me, Pinocchio. To-day we are truly 
poor and miserable ! " 

“ Truly ! " repeated the Cat. 

“ If you are poor, you deserve it. Good-day 
to you ! " 

“ Have pity on us, this time ! " 

“ This time ! " repeated the Cat. 

“ Good-bye, cheats. May you learn wisdom 
from your suffering ! " 

So saying, Pinocchio and Gepetto went calmly 
on their way. Finally they came to a roadway 
which led into the middle of a field, where stood 
a little house made of thatched straw and with a 
tiled roof. 

“ That house must be occupied by some one," 
said Pinocchio. “ Let us go and knock." 

They did so. 

“ Who’s there? ” called a voice from within. 

“ We are a poor man and his son who have no 
shelter nor food," replied the marionette. 

“ Turn the key and the door will open." 

Pinocchio obeyed and they entered the house. 
But they looked all around and saw no one. 


Some Old Acquaintances 173 

“ Where is the master of the house ? ” the boy 
asked in surprise. 

" Here I am.” 

The two turned quickly and saw on a rafter 
over their heads no less person than the Talking 
Cricket. 

“ Oh, my dear Cricket ! ” cried Pinocchio in 
greeting. 

“ Now I am your * dear Cricket/ eh ? But do 
you remember the day when you hit me with a 
hammer ? ” 

“ You are right, Cricket ! Now it’s your turn. 
Drive me away with a blow of the hammer ; but 
have mercy on my poor father.” 

“ I will have mercy on you both. But I 
thought it wise to remind you of your own un- 
kindness, in order to show you that, in this 
world, one must be courteous to all, if one would 
expect courtesy in the hour of need.” 

“ Right again, Cricket, and I shan’t forget it. 
But tell me, how did you obtain such a nice little 
house ? ” 

“ It was given to me yesterday by a handsome 
Goat, whose wool was of a beautiful blue color.” 

“ And where did the Goat go ? ’’ asked Pinoc- 
chio with lively curiosity. 

“ I do not know.” 


Pinocchio 


J 74 

“ When will it return ? ” 

“ Never. Yesterday it went away bleating, as 
if to say, ‘ Poor Pinocchio ! I shall never see 
him again ! The Dog-Fish has devoured him ! ’ ” 

“ Did it really say that ? Then it was she ! It 
was my dear Fairy ! ” said Pinocchio, beginning 
to cry. 

After a while he dried his eyes and made a 
good bed of straw for the aged Gepetto. Then 
he asked the Talking Cricket : 

“ Can you tell me where I can get a glass of 
milk for my father ? ” 

“ Three fields from here you will find a farmer 
who owns some cows. Go to him and you’ll get 
your milk.” 

Pinocchio ran to the farmer and said to him : 
“ May I have a glass of milk for my father?” 

“ A glass of milk costs one cent,” replied the 
man. “ Where’s your money ? ” 

“ I haven’t any.” 

“ Then I haven’t any milk. But wait a min- 
ute. Maybe we can manage it. Can you work 
a well-sweep ? ” 

“ What is that ? ” 

“ It’s a thing we use to draw up water out of 
a well. If you will draw a hundred buckets full, 
I will give you a glass of milk.” 





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Some Old Acquaintances 175 

« All right." 

The farmer set Pinocchio at work with the 
well-sweep, and he toiled hard. But before he 
had drawn his hundred buckets full, he was wet 
with perspiration from head to foot. He had 
never felt so tired in all his life. 

“ This work has always been done for me by 
a little donkey," said the man ; “ but to-day the 
poor beast is sick." 

“ Will you let me see him ? " asked Pinocchio. 

“ Certainly." 

Pinocchio went with him to the stable, and 
there stretched out on the straw he saw the 
donkey dying of hunger and overwork. After 
looking him in the face, he said to himself, “ I 
think I know that donkey ! " And stooping 
down he asked in donkey language, “ Who are 
you ? " 

At this question, the donkey opened his dim- 
ming eyes, and answered in a broken voice, “ I 
am Lampwick ! " Then he closed his eyes again. 

“ Oh, poor Lampwick ! " said Pinocchio in a 
low voice. And he took a wisp of hay and 
offered it to him. But the donkey paid no more 
attention. 

“ You seem very sorry about a beast that 
never cost you anything," said the farmer. 


Pinocchio 


176 

“ Then how should I feel who am out good 
money on his account ? " 

“ He was a friend of mine." 

“ A friend of yours ? ” 

“ Yes — a schoolmate." 

“ That's rich ! ” shouted the man laughing. 
“ What sort of a schoolmate would a donkey 
make ? " 

The marionette felt so ashamed at this, that he 
made no reply. He took his glass of milk and 
went back to his father. 


CHAPTER XXXVII 

A REAL BOY AT LAST 

F ROM that day on, for five months, Pin- 
occhio rose early every morning to go 
and work the well-sweep for the farmer. 
In this way he earned the daily glass of milk 
which aided to restore the health of his sick 
father. Not content with that, he learned to 
weave wicker baskets and hampers, and sold 
them for enough money to provide for their 
daily needs. Among other things he bought a 


A Real Boy at Last 177 

nice little wagon in which he took his father out 
to enjoy the air on fine days. 

During the evenings he practiced reading and 
writing. In the neighboring town he bought a 
second-hand book for a few cents, and this was 
used for reading. As for writing he made his 
own pen out of a piece of scrap-iron, and his 
own ink from berry juice. 

In a word, he behaved so well that he not 
only made enough money for them both, but 
also laid aside a small sum to buy new clothes 
for himself. 

One morning he said to his father, “ I am go- 
ing to town to buy myself a new coat and hat 
and a pair of shoes. When I come back I shall 
look so fine that you won’t know me.” 

And he laughed and started out in high 
spirits. He had not gone far, however, when he 
heard his name called, and turning saw a beauti- 
ful Snail climbing over a hedge. 

“ Don't you know me ? ” asked the Snail. 

“ Why, it seems to me ” said the mario- 

nette in doubt. 

“ Don’t you remember the Snail who tended 
the door for the Fairy with the Blue Hair ? I 
was so slow in coming that you rammed your 
foot through the panel.” 


Pinocchio 


i?8 

“ Oh, yes, I remember now ! Tell me quickly, 
beautiful Snail, where is my good Fairy ? What 
is she doing? Has she forgiven me? Could I 
go to see her ? ” 

To all these questions the Snail replied with 
her usual slowness, “ I’m sorry to say that the 
Fairy is ill and in a hospital.” 

“ In a hospital ? ” 

" Alas, yes. A prey to a thousand griefs she 
fell sick, and is now so poor that she cannot buy 
a piece of bread.” 

“ Oh, my poor Fairy ! my poor Faiiy ! ” 
wailed Pinocchio. “ I wish I had a million dol- 
lars to give to her. But all I have in the world 
you see here in my hand. Take it, good Snail, 
and hurry to her with it.” 

“ But don’t you need it ? ” 

“ I was only going to buy some clothes, but 
what difference does that make? I would sell 
the very rags off my back to help her. So 
hasten, good Snail. Come back in a couple of 
days, and I will try to have something more for 
her.” 

The Snail, contrary to her usual way, began 
to run as swiftly as a lizard. 

When Pinocchio went back to the house, his 
father asked, “ Where are your clothes ? ’* 


A Real Boy at Last 179 

u I decided not to buy them to-day. But 
never mind ; there will be plenty of chances.” 

That night Pinocchio sat up two hours later 
than usual, and instead of weaving eight baskets 
he wove sixteen. Very weary he went to bed 
and fell asleep. As he slept he dreamed that he 
saw the Fairy, radiant and smiling, and she bent 
over and kissed him and said : 

“ My good Pinocchio ! Because of your kind 
heart I forgive you for all your misdeeds. Boys 
who help other people so willingly and lovingly 
deserve praise, even if they are not models in 
other ways. Always listen to good counsel, and 
you will be happy.” 

Here the dream ended, and Pinocchio awoke 
with his eyes wide open. 

Imagine his surprise, now, to discover that 
he was no longer a wooden marionette ! In- 
stead, he had become a real flesh-and-blood boy, 
just like other boys. He rubbed his eyes and 
looked around. The bare room in the straw 
cottage had vanished, and instead he saw a 
fine sleeping apartment, handsomely furnished. 
Jumping out of bed, he found laid out for him a 
beautiful new suit of clothes, with hat and leather 
boots to match, all of which fitted him perfectly. 

When he had dressed himself, with many ex- 


i8o 


Pinocchio 


clamations of delight, he happened to put his 
hand into his pocket, and there he found a small 
ivory purse on which were written these words : 

“ The Fairy with the Blue Hair returns to her 
dear Pinocchio the money he sent her, and 
thanks him for his good heart." 

Opening the purse, he found the same number 
of pieces which he had given away, but instead 
of copper they were shining gold. 

Then he chanced to see himself in a handsome 
mirror at the other end of the room, and it seemed 
to him as if it were somebody else. Instead of 
the silly face, long nose, and rickety joints of a 
wooden marionette, he beheld a bright, intelli- 
gent boy, with brown hair, blue eyes, and fresh, 
glowing complexion. Indeed, he was as hand- 
some a boy as you would wish to see. 

These surprises had happened so close together 
that Pinocchio did not know whether they were 
real, or whether he was not still dreaming. 

“ Where is my dear father ? ” he cried sud- 
denly. 

He ran into the next room, and there found 
Gepetto hale and hearty, as though he were a 
young man again. His father felt so well, in 
fact, that he had set to work again at his trade 
of wood-carving. 


A Real Boy at Last 1 8 1 

“ What has happened, father ? How have all 
these splendid things come about?” cried the 
boy throwing his arms about his neck. 

“ It is your reward,” replied Gepetto. 

“ My reward ? Why ? ” 

“ For your change of conduct. When boys 
quit being bad and try to be good, they make 
the whole household happy.” 

“ And the old wooden Pinocchio — where has 
he gone ? ” 

“ There he is,” answered Gepetto, pointing to 
a limp, lifeless wooden doll leaning against a 
chair with its head hung upon one side, and its 
legs crossed so that it looked ready to topple 
over at any moment. 

Pinocchio looked at it for a moment ; then he 
said to himself with great satisfaction : 

“ How funny I was, when I was a marionette ! 
And how glad I am to be a real boy at last ! ” 


THE END 























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